Council cuts red tape to activate CBD

Parklet trial in front of the Geraldton Regional Library

Retailers and restaurateurs in the CBD will no longer need to seek approval from the City to activate the streets in front of their businesses.

The recently endorsed ‘Activating Thoroughfares in the City Centre’ Policy cuts red tape by pre-approving a range of activities so people can enjoy outdoor areas.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said the policies were about bringing the CBD to life.

“One of the key objectives of revitalising the City centre is to create comfortable and exciting places and streets people want to visit and will enjoy,” he said.

“By getting rid of the bureaucratic process we are encouraging businesses to use the footpaths and thoroughfares for a greater range of activities.

“The goal is to make it as easy as possible for retailers and restaurateurs to utilise this space so they can go ahead and do what is best for them.”

The Activating Thoroughfares in the City Policy utilises existing paving treatments for retailers to locate the pre-approved areas for activities such as outdoor dining, advertising, sale of goods or the beautification of streetscape with plants or others objects.

The Rocks Laneway, currently under construction, is also set to activate the City centre with a range of community events and activities.

Council also adopted the Parklet Local Planning Policy, which will enable businesses in the CBD to create small public parks in the existing streetscape by transforming an existing car parking space.

Mayor Van Styn said the successful parklet trial held in the CBD last year was the driving force behind the new policy.

“In June 2017, the City partnered with Pollinators to undertake a parklet trial in a couple of locations in the CBD,” he said.

“Community feedback on the trial was extremely positive with almost 80 per cent of the people who responded to a community survey stating they enjoyed using the parklets and 87 per cent wanted to see more parklets throughout the CBD.”

If you have any ideas on how you would like to use the Rocks Laneway spaces which includes an undercover area in the former Rocks building and open air spaces in a revamped Clock Tower Square and the Post Office Lane share to activate the CBD, you can have your say on City on the website www.cgg.wa.gov.au