• Raine & Horne Commercial launches Hills/Blacktown office to cater to the rapidly expanding Hills and Blacktown regions
• The Blacktown City Council Master Plan expects the population of the Blacktown CBD to grow by 66 percent over the next two decades
• The region’s commercial affordability is an attraction for DIY investors, with small industrial units available from $180,000 and freehold retail assets start from the mid- $300,000s.

Raine & Horne Commercial is positioning itself as a leading provider of commercial sales, leasing and property management services in Sydney’s growing Hills and Blacktown regions with the establishment of a new office located in Seven Hills.

Raine & Horne Commercial Hills/Blacktown will be led by award-winning Nicholas Harkins, who was recently named as Raine & Horne’s foremost commercial property manager in NSW, and colleague Brett Stallard.

Significantly, the new office is strategically aligned with Raine & Horne Commercial North Sydney, which is headed by the experienced duo of Duncan Grady and Jay Sheffield.

Angus Raine, Executive Chairman and CEO of Raine & Horne Commercial, said the establishment of Raine & Horne Commercial Hills/Blacktown confirms the aggressive expansion of the leading commercial property brand.

“In the last few months we’ve opened Raine & Horne Commercial offices at Erina on the NSW Central Coast and at Windsor on Sydney’s western fringe,” says Mr Raine.

“In addition, Raine & Horne Commercial Northern Beaches recently purchased CBRE’s property management operation on Sydney’s northern peninsula.”

According to Mr Harkins, a commercial asset management specialist, the launch of Raine & Horne Commercial Hills/Blacktown, which will be located at Level 1, 71 Boomerang Place, Seven Hills, is set to coincide perfectly with the expansion of the Hills District and Blacktown as residential and commercial hubs.

“There is a massive financial injection into the region’s infrastructure, headlined by the $8.3 billion North West Rail Link, which is set to connect Rouse Hill to Epping via Castle Hill,” says Mr Harkins, who was born and bred in the Hills District, while Mr Stallard lives in leafy Kings Park.

“The new infrastructure is creating more industrial and commercial opportunities, with the Norwest Business Park already attracting something like 400 companies, who employ around 20,000 workers.

“It’s expected that when the business park is running at full capacity, around 35,000 workers will be employed within its boundaries.

“At the same time, on the industrial front we’re seeing the expansion of facilities at Seven Hills, Kings Park, Eastern Creek and Prospect.”

Mr Harkins also says the recent release of the Blacktown City Council Master Plan for the renewal of the city’s centre will have a significant impact on commercial markets in Sydney’s north west.

“The master plan has established projections to cater for Blacktown’s expected population growth and it has a stated ambition to make the city NSW’s third biggest metropolitan area behind Sydney/North Sydney and Parramatta,” he says.

“Today the city has a population of 300,000 people, which is expected to hit 500,000 by 2036, and the plan focuses on creating higher density housing, more infrastructure and additional local employment in the Blacktown CBD.

“These changes will further leverage the area's central location and transport hub status by maximising its proximity to the M4, M2 and M7, along with its growing industrial diversity thanks to a strong healthcare sector, which includes Blacktown Hospital and Norwest Private, while the University of Western Sydney and Northern Institute of TAFE are also significant local employers.

The Blacktown region is well-served with commercial activity, light and heavy industrial industry, as well as healthy bulky goods and a growing retail sector, with the modern Rouse Hill Town Centre a standout, according to Mr Harkins.

The expansion of the region’s industrial and commercial markets also augurs well for residential growth.

“As more people migrate to the Hills District and Blacktown, we expect escalating demand for affordable retail and bulky goods facilities, and by establishing Raine & Horne Commercial Hills/Blacktown, we will be perfectly positioned to service this important commercial sector too.

“Small industrial units are available for approximately $180,000 and upwards, while freehold retail assets are available from the mid-$300,000s, which is significantly less than many commercial precincts in the Sydney metropolitan area.”

Mr Harkins said he is confident that Raine & Horne Commercial Hills/Blacktown can also provide a superior level of customer service to the region’s commercial property investors, business owners and tenants, especially on the fringes of the Norwest Business Park, such as Seven Hills and Blacktown.

“There are a lot of mum and dad investors and self-managed super funds, as well as a growing small business sector, and they deserve quality customer care, whether they are buying or leasing commercial space, or seeking property management services.”

For commercial property enquiries in Sydney’s growing Hills and Blacktown regions, contact Raine & Horne Commercial Hills/Blacktown on 02 9622 9600.

-ENDS-

For further media information contact:

Nicholas Harkins, Co-Principal, Raine & Horne Commercial Hills/Blacktown on 0425 626 281

Andrew Harrington, National Marketing & Communications Coordinator on 02 9258 5400