Draft Retail and Business Centres Strategy

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Contributions to this consultation are now closed. Many thanks to all who reviewed the draft Strategy and took the time to provide their comments. 

We're seeking feedback on the Draft Retail and Business Centres Strategy which makes recommendations to ensure our village, town and city centres provide for the needs of our community now and in the future.

Our centres are the physical places we meet to do business, shop, and build community. In addition to businesses and shops, centres also contain other uses such as housing, licensed clubs, tourism accommodation, parks and community facilities.

We all want our centres to be successful thriving places for people to meet, connect, shop, work and live. We know how critically important these places are to both

We're seeking feedback on the Draft Retail and Business Centres Strategy which makes recommendations to ensure our village, town and city centres provide for the needs of our community now and in the future.

Our centres are the physical places we meet to do business, shop, and build community. In addition to businesses and shops, centres also contain other uses such as housing, licensed clubs, tourism accommodation, parks and community facilities.

We all want our centres to be successful thriving places for people to meet, connect, shop, work and live. We know how critically important these places are to both the liveability and economic health of our Local Government Area (LGA).

The purpose of the draft Retail and Business Centres Strategy is for Council to gain an understanding of the current and future retail, commercial and urban service needs of our city. This is to appropriately deliver more sustainable local employment opportunities, economic productivity, and convenient access to goods and services for an increasing and evolving population.

The Strategy’s recommendations will be used to inform a wide range of upcoming planning projects.

Background

Our current Retail and Business Centres Strategy was prepared in 2004. On 24 February 2020, Council resolved to prepare a new Retail Centres Study.

We have prepared the new Draft Retail and Business Centres Strategy with input from technical specialists and the views and aspirations of the community.

In 2021, SGS Economics and Planning were engaged to prepare supporting technical analysis including a review of retail trends, an appraisal of existing centres, and an analysis of existing supply, capacity and demand across a number of future scenarios.

Late last year, Council sought community input through the Shape Your Town survey. A total of 230 surveys were received with respondents providing Council with feedback on 23 Centres within the LGA. The results of the Shape Your Town survey were used to inform the draft Strategy.

On 12 September 2022, Council endorsed the draft Retail and Business Centres Strategy for exhibition to seek community and stakeholder input.

Following the exhibition, Council will consider the issues raised in submissions and report a final Strategy document to Council for adoption.

If the Strategy is adopted, its recommendations will be implemented via a range of Council projects. Some of these may involve proposals to change planning controls contained in the Wollongong Local Environmental Plan 2009 (LEP) and Wollongong Development Control Plan 2009 (DCP). Any proposed changes to planning policies will be exhibited for community input as part of a separate process.

Key recommendations

The draft Strategy proposes 22 recommendations that aim to achieve the following 6 directions:

  • The role of our Centres is clear
  • Our Centres are a good fit for our Community
  • Our new Centres in West Dapto are well planned
  • Our Centres are active and vibrant
  • Our Centres are accessible and support transport mode shift
  • Our City Centre is a thriving commercial precinct

View the Draft Strategy for the details of each recommendation.

The recommendations are designed to be implemented through a range of planned projects.

View the Draft Strategy

You can view the Draft Retail and Business Centres Strategy in full, or in sections, as well as supporting documents in the Documents section of this webpage.

Alternatively, you can view the Strategy at your local Wollongong Library branch.

Make a Submission

You can give feedback on the draft Strategy by making a submission. You can do this by:

  • Completing the online feedback form
  • Writing to: The General Manager, Wollongong City Council, Locked Bag 8821 WOLLONGONG DC NSW 2500
  • Emailing: records@wollongong.nsw.gov.au
  • Phoning: (02) 4227 7111
  • Visiting: Council’s Customer Service Centre, 41 Burelli St, Wollongong.

The draft Strategy is on exhibition from 10 October 2022 to 2 December 2022.

Submissions become public documents and may be viewed by other persons on request. Please read Council’s Privacy Notification before submitting your feedback.

Further Information

More information is provided in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section of this webpage.

If you have a question, please reach out to us via the Questions tool and a staff member will respond to your enquiry. Alternatively, feel free to phone, email or visit Council to ask questions or discuss this project with a member of our team.

Accessibility or language assistance
If you’re d/Deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech or language difficulty, you can contact us through the National Relay Service. If you need an interpreter, you can contact us through the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. You’ll need to provide our phone number 02 4227 7111 for either service.