Lewis Land Group's business and technology park at Sovereign Hills set to fuel growth and jobs

Civil works have started on the 2.3 hectare first stage of Lewis Land Group's business and technology park in the Sovereign Place Town Centre.

Port Data Centre will be part of the new precinct.

The opportunity of a greenfield site appealed to the business after it reviewed many locations across the Mid-North Coast.

Port Data Centre worked with Lewis Land Group throughout the design phase to ensure adequate power requirements.

Port Data Centre chief executive officer Garry King said the plot of land ticked so many boxes including Lewis Land Group's plan for the business and technology park, underground power and the closer connectivity to the main fibre network.

"Then it came down to my existing staff, and the way Port Macquarie is growing, I wanted to keep it as local as possible," Mr King said.

Port Data Centre will establish a facility for telecommunications carriers to host their equipment with the centre expected to employ 30 staff including about 10 to 12 existing staff.

There will be more businesses to come.

Lewis Land Group chief executive officer Matthew McCarron said they were in talks with a number of other businesses looking at moving to the business and technology park.

"Those businesses come from within Port Macquarie, and often they are new businesses that are being established, but also businesses from out of town that are looking to relocate," he said.

"We are finding the greatest demand is coming from technology businesses but equally we are talking to a range of other businesses."

Mr McCarron said the advantage of the greenfield site was flexibility for businesses in terms of site sizes.

"It allows us to co-develop premises that are really fit for purpose and made for the businesses that are moving in but also allow for them to grow over time," he said.

Mr McCarron said the large site totalled 2.3ha at the moment with the ability to grow depending on how demand evolved.

Lewis Land Group is seeking expressions of interest from businesses, including the clean manufacturing, health and information technology sectors.

Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce board member Michael Mowle said the business and technology park was unique and well positioned close to the Oxley Highway and Pacific Highway interchange.

He said its strength was in the white collar and high-tech businesses they were trying to attract to the area, not only local businesses that would grow into that space but inbound businesses wanting to set up here.

"If you can get a critical mass of those type of businesses, then you are going to get other like businesses," Mr Mowle said.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council's Liesa Davies said developments such as the business and technology park were well placed to drive investment and employment at this time of unprecedented growth.

The business and technology park is part of the $100 million Sovereign Place Town Centre precinct, which includes retail, offices, community facilities and public open spaces, surrounded by homes and townhouses.

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