THE proposal for a $1.85 billion World Trade Center abutting Perth station is back on the agenda, with Lands Minister Rita Saffioti saying a decision on an unsolicited bid to buy the government-owned land will be made within weeks.

Ghazi Abu Nahl, the owner of Perth’s World Trade Center licence, paid $50 million for the old Myer Megamart site at 30 Beaufort Street to the north of the rail line running into Perth station.

However, other World Trade Center sites globally are about 3ha, prompting the organisation to lodge an unsolicited bid for a 1.9ha site between Perth and McIver train stations.

The status of the bid, which passed through an 11-month first phase under the Barnett government, has been muddied by the election of a new State Government, led by Premier Mark McGowan, which has made substantial rail infrastructure commitments under its Metronet program.

It is thought the rail infrastructure for an Ellenbrook line and a Forrestfield-Airport link would connect with the eastern side of Perth station, underneath the area the World Trade Center wants to add to its site.

However the status of negotiations between the parties is unknown.

Camera Icon The Perth economy - and its skyline - will change significantly if a World Trade Center Perth development goes ahead. Credit: PerthNow

A Perth World Trade Center, tipped to generate $100 million a year in trade revenue in Perth, will be vying for funding from Mr Abu Nahl’s Nest Investment Holdings, which in October won three World Trade Center licences in China.

The Chinese authorities are enthusiastically backing such initiatives as part of its One Belt, One Road “new Silk Road” trade push.

World Trade Centers are considered hot property, not just because of jobs generated during construction but also because of commercial and trade links generated across the globe.

Nest operates 16 World Trade Center licences throughout North Africa and the Middle East, the Chinese licences taking that to 19.

Mr Abu Nahl’s children are Australian citizens and his daughter Reem Abu Nahl, also a World Trade Center Perth director, was educated at Perth’s Methodist Ladies College.

Camera Icon An artist’s impression of Perth’s World Trade Center proposal. Credit: PerthNow

The proposal would extend the Perth City Link corridor, effectively reactivating and sprucing up a less visually appealing part of the city.

Last week Ms Saffioti, who is also Minister for Transport and Minister for Planning, said the State Government was considering the World Trade Center plan.

“It’s on my radar,” she said.

“It’s something that’s live. It’s before government, we are considering it and we will be making a decision about that hopefully within the next six weeks.”

World Trade Center Perth director Neil Kidd said he had met a State Government representative.

“We have offered to work with them in the unsolicited bid process to accommodate their needs and our aspirations,” he said.