The northern outskirts of Perth will host one of WA’s busiest road networks and the State's biggest petrol station, with the creation of an estate that will reduce truck traffic in the metropolitan area. The 150ha Muchea Industrial Park will address one of the most curious features of the resources sector, which has set up industrial centres for North West trucks south of the city, in suburbs such as Kwinana and Kemerton. The set-up has long meant North West trucks have to use congested freight corridors through the suburbs to access depots and service centres in these areas.

Kelvin Flynn, right, the managing director at Harvis, which is developing the new estate, said it was the most significant industrial centre north of the city. He said the estate, 45km north of the CBD, would eventually stop some Pilbara and Mid West trucks from entering the industrial suburbs altogether. Muchea has half of all freight traffic passing its doors each day. Testimony to future traffic anticipated in the area, BP has just started building WA’s biggest service station at the site.

The new park adjoins the Muchea road-train assembly area, and will allow road trains -which can be up to 53m long and which are not allowed in the metropolitan area -to drive in for maintenance and servicing. Trucks which need to deliver cargo south of the city will be able to use the $1 billion NorthLink WA road extension, which links Muchea to Morley. The estate is positioned to take advantage of the newly aligned Brand, Tonkin and Great Northern highways.

Mr Flynn said selling and leasing the lots, which range in size from 10,000sqm to 30ha, would not be an overnight project. "We have taken a long-term view on this project," he said. Civil works have been completed to connect roads and infrastructure to the first 20ha of stage one at the estate. Mr Flynn expected the estate would underpin a busy new centre, with surrounding land set aside for residential use so workers could live and work locally.

Land is being sold by JLL, CBRE and Lyfords. Lyfords managing director Matt Lyford said the area had half of Perth's road freight pass it each day, "The opening of NorthLink WA completely changes the dynamic of Perth's eastern industrial core and how the State's northern mining and agricultural engine room is serviced efficiently from the Perth metro areas," he said.