Mr Williams has responded positively to the new multi-million dollar BlueRidge Business Park, located on the Mitchell Highway’s eastern entry to Dubbo.

His comments come after Hunter Land chief executive Graham Burns said its BlueRidge venture could coexist with a central business district (CBD).

Hunter Land launched BlueRidge last week at a function attended by a crowd of the Dubbo business fraternity, including Mr Williams.

Mr Burns took the opportunity to claim that “an estate like this is not a threat to a central business district”.

“It offers different kinds of business premises,” he said.

Business parks were ahead on communications and parking, but CBDs had fabulous amenities for staff, he said.

In business districts infrastructure had been installed a long time ago and had not been refreshed, he said.

They also offered a faster turnaround, getting businesses into the premises they needed sooner.

Mr Williams agreed with many of Mr Burns’ comments and said the CBD and the park would not compete in occupancy levels.

“Traditionally a CBD is more a retail precinct than a corporate or business park,” he said.

Mr Williams said the business park could attract new businesses to Dubbo.

“It’s a weapon in the arsenal to attract that type of business, which will bring jobs and people to town,” he said.

Mr Williams gave examples of other corporate parks in Dubbo, like that in Darling Street, North Dubbo and other centres such as Armidale and Sydney’s North Ryde business park.

“It’s not uncommon that as cities or urban areas expand that its business precinct needs to expand as well,” he said.

“As is normally the case, the potential for expansion in the CBD is fairly limited.

“Over time, new businesses, new companies and new jobs come to Dubbo.

“Those people are still going to want to go to Myer in the main street.”

faye.wheeler@ruralpress.com