State Government buys Tonsley Park site
The South Australian Government has purchased the site of the former Mitsubishi Motors Australia vehicle assembly plant at Tonsley Park to develop the site for new industries including high-end manufacturing, research and new technologies.
Deputy Premier Kevin Foley says the State Government paid $32.5 million for the site in a deal that also includes providing Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) with accommodation for Head Office/Corporate activities and spare parts storage.
Mr Foley described the deal as a good one for the State and a great outcome for the southern suburbs.
“It’s also a good result for Adelaide overall, as Tonsley Park is a prime piece of industrial land with enormous potential, by virtue of its size, and proximity to the city and transport routes as well as Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre,” Mr Foley says.
“We envisage it becoming the premier Sustainable Technologies site in Australia, a hub for innovative companies in advanced manufacturing, clean tech and environmental industries.”
Mr Foley says the Department of Trade and Economic Development has put together a Concept Plan to attract investment, prior to the commissioning of a comprehensive Master Plan, which will detail the future development and final structure of the site.
He says that details of the Master Plan will be given after the contract on the site has settled in the New Year, but it will include a sustainable design focused on recycling and environmentally designed buildings.
Mr Foley says in the 20 months since Mitsubishi ceased vehicle production at Tonsley Park, most of the retrenched workers had found new employment.
He says both State and Federal Governments were investing $30 million to boost growth and employment for local manufacturers.
“This is the next phase,” he says.
“The redevelopment of the Tonsley Park site will drive growth in the south for years to come as well as contribute to the economic diversity of the State.”
Mitsubishi’s president and CEO, Robert McEniry, says: “Tonsley Park has been our home for many years, so we are very pleased the sale of the plant can provide a launch pad for future economic development in the area.”
Previous page
