Ballarat Commercial Strategy

What is the Ballarat Commercial Strategy?

The Ballarat Commercial Strategy proposes to review the existing 2003 Retail Strategy and the policies relating to the commercial areas in the municipality. The strategy will have an emphasis on the wide variety of commercial activities that occur in traditional retailing land use areas, known as activity centres.

Activity centres are described as "vibrant hubs where people shop, work, meet, relax and often live. Usually well-served by public transport, they range in size and intensity of use from local neighbourhood strip shopping centres to traditional universities and major regional shopping malls." (Source DCPD Website)

The strategy is also responding to some of the challenges identified in the 2006 Economic Development Strategy that identified:

• The delivery of retailing and business services to a wide regional catchment is a competitive advantage for Ballarat;
• The technology sector, agribusiness, food processing and manufacturing with low business costs, skilled labour force and good access to markets were emerging opportunities for the Ballarat economy;
• The annual escape expenditure from Ballarat and the fragmentation of retailing and other activities in Ballarat's Central Business Area are weaknesses in the economy;
• The retail sector is Ballarat's largest employer;
• 1,320 additional jobs will be required between 2005-2021 to service Ballarat's population growth.

The review of the 2003 Retail Strategy was a key recommendation of the Economic Development Strategy.

What are the objectives of the study?

The Ballarat Commercial Strategy will set the vision for the future of activity centres within the municipality and the means to achieve and implement the vision. It is to be based on a clear understanding of the values, challenges and new opportunities in the retail and commercial sectors and their inter-relationship within urban spaces.

The project will result in two key parts:

Part A of this project is to provide a Retail Development Strategy Review and Discussion Paper comprising:

• Detailed policy context and review, including identification of opportunities to integrate the Commercial Strategy with other policy frameworks;
• Overview of population and settlement patterns (1991 to 2031);
• Analysis of the regional role of the City, and opportunities to strengthen its economic development;
• Assessment of the retail and commercial system in Ballarat and its regional catchment area;
• Inventory of retail and commercial land use that is GIS compatible;
• Retail and commercial floorspace requirements (2006 to 2031);
• Revised gap analysis of retail-commercial system, and identification of opportunities to strengthen the City's retail offer and competitive advantages;
• Overview of retail and commercial trends affecting the development of activity centres and commercial precincts in the City;
• Functional analysis of activity centres in the Ballarat retail-commercial system and initial assessments of opportunities and constraints for further development and consolidation (this will be developed in more detail during Part 2 of the study);
• Summary of key principles and key issues affecting retail-commercial development from the perspectives of key stakeholders and groups;
• Principles and directions for the development of the Commercial Strategy 2008, including a preliminary vision for the City's retail commercial system.

Part B of this project will result in a draft Ballarat Commercial Strategy 2008.

Key outputs of the Strategy will include:

• A policy position statement;
• An overall vision for the development of the City's retail-commercial system to 2016 and beyond;
• Strategic and policy frameworks to guide the development of activity centres across the City;
• Revised activity centre hierarchy including new centres (if required);
• Detailed strategic objectives for the development of the retail and commercial precincts in the City, including bulky goods clusters, specialised and technology precincts and trade precincts;
• Assessment and performance criteria to guide decision making in relation to the location, scale and composition of centres;
• A detailed implementation plan for the Commercial Strategy 2008, including:
  • Planning processes required to implement the strategy;
  • Revision of planning regulations and processes;
  • Development of facilitation and investment attraction actions;
  • Processes for the ongoing management and monitoring of the development of the retail-commercial system.

Consultation

Specific stakeholder consultation from a wide range of industry sectors occurred during August and September either in groups or individually (see timetable below). The consultation is a vital part of the preparation of the Retail Development Strategy Review and Discussion Paper.

Comments from each session and some individual sessions are available to download as a record of what was raised. Extra comment has been provided by organisations that reflects their own organisations' views.

• Download Australian Industry Group Notes (PDF - 25KB)
• Download Industry Capability Network Notes (PDF - 24KB)
• Download Leader Property Practice Notes (PDF - 31KB)

Contact

If you wish to register your interest in the project or would like to receive further information, please contact the Strategic Planning Unit by email at strategicplanning@ballarat.vic.gov.au or by phone on 03 5320 5536.