Sparking the night time economy

Representatives from councils throughout Sydney have converged on Bankstown to discuss ways to inject life into night time economies.

The Urban Planning Masterclass looked at how urban planning can be used to create and develop vibrant and sustainable night time economies. At the completion of the masterclass, a reference document was developed, covering:

Relevant NSW Government policies;Global and local trends;What councils need to consider when developing plans;What provisions can be included in local planning policies;How to include innovative developments, like shared workspaces, in the assessment of development applications; andHow councils and private enterprises can increase occupation and activation of ground floor space, in mixed-use developments.

Mayor of the City of Canterbury Bankstown, Khal Asfour, welcomed the focus on night time economies, something the Council is looking to inject more life into.

“Every April, Lakemba is turned into a late-night bazaar, with crowds of up to 20,000 people flocking to Haldon Street each night, to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan,” he said.

“We’ve also undertaken a number of studies into night-time activities in our town centres, and conducted trials and pilot programs.

“And, the City looks set to get its first rooftop bar at Bankstown Sports Club, after it was recently approved by Council.”

The Mayor indicated a number of other projects are in the pipeline.

“We’re in the process of creating a new vision for Paul Keating Park and the surrounding area, along with a Night Time Economy Strategy,” Mayor Asfour said.