THE team behind Eden Project Anglesea is talking up the economic benefits if the $150 million development goes ahead, claiming the eco-tourism project will create more than 1,300 jobs.<\/p>\n
Eden says its estimations, prepared using Surf Coast Shire and state government data and assumptions, are that the project at Alcoa\u2019s Anglesea mine will create 300 ongoing full-time jobs and another 200 jobs in the wider region.<\/p>\n
The $150 million development is estimated to create 170 direct jobs and another 700 in the G21 region during the construction phase.<\/p>\n
The project is also predicted to generate $350 million in the Surf Coast Shire in its first 10 years of operation.<\/p>\n
Eden Project International chief executive officer David Harland will give a presentation about the benefits that will be generated by Eden\u2019s plan at today\u2019s G21 Stakeholder Forum at the RACV Torquay Resort.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the Times News Group earlier this week, Mr Harland said the economic projections were \u201ca pretty healthy set of numbers\u201d and were \u201cdefinitely reliable\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe shire and the state government have a number of economic calculators, so we\u2019ve employed an independent expert to put our numbers through their calculator.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said Eden Project Anglesea had already committed to including local businesses in its supply chain, and that most of the 1,300 jobs created would similarly be filled by local people.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things we\u2019ve got to work out is just what skills are available.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe talent is definitely there in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n
The two biggest hurdles for Eden Project Anglesea since it was publicly revealed earlier this year are the approval of Alcoa\u2019s strategy for the mine to fill with water more rapidly and determining which planning authority (the Surf Coast Shire or the state government) will run the Anglesea Futures project (within which Eden Project Anglesea will sit).<\/p>\n
Mr Hartland said progress had been made on resolving both issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s being discussed in the right direction. I think there is a solution out there, it\u2019s a matter of everyone agreeing on it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE team behind Eden Project Anglesea is talking up the economic benefits if the $150 million development goes ahead, claiming the eco-tourism project will create more than 1,300 jobs. Eden says its estimations, prepared using Surf Coast Shire and state government data and assumptions, are that the project at Alcoa\u2019s Anglesea mine will create 300 […]<\/p>\n