The City of Sydney is seeking feedback on key changes to its successful outdoor dining program.
Following endorsement by Council in December, the proposals will cut unnecessary red tape, make it easier for businesses to set up an outdoor dining area, and give them a greater say in how they use the space.
They will also provide the option to make temporary on-street dining spaces permanent, where suitable, across the city.
The updated guidelines are now open for an extended period of public feedback to ensure the whole community can have a say on the future of outdoor dining in Sydney.
“We want your thoughts on the changes we’re making to outdoor dining,” Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO said.
“When the pandemic hit, we allowed businesses to set up dining areas on the road, with patrons protected by safe but unattractive concrete barriers. We want to remove those barriers and build beautiful, permanent spaces that will change not just the face of our city but how we experience it.
“Making outdoor dining free and easy for businesses was a lifeline during the pandemic, and it has been incredibly popular with the community. Last year we removed fees forever, now we’re cutting leftover red tape and making temporary spaces permanent where suitable to ensure the outdoor dining revolution is part of Sydney’s streetscape forever.”
The main proposals include:
- establishing a process to turn the on-street areas currently bordered by concrete barriers into permanent footpath extensions, where suitable
- providing a more certain and effective clear path of travel on the footpath for all users
- allowing businesses to set up outside adjacent properties, following consultation
- allowing dining on both sides of the clear path, against a building and curb, if space permits
- making the approval process easier and quicker by reducing the need for notification and removing duplicate application processes
- removing red tape such as rules around no standing without a table or shelf, or additional requirements for food, toilets and heaters
- increasing flexibility to place planter boxes and large pots for greening in these areas
- increasing business certainty with 5-year approvals, where possible.
The Lord Mayor said by providing a reliable, clear path of travel, maximum space will be available for business while protecting access for people with disability, those pushing prams and people with limited mobility.
“Our priority is to ensure the city continues to have thriving outdoor dining spaces while maintaining sufficient space for others, including people with disability, those pushing prams and people with limited mobility,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Traditionally this meant keeping a clear space next to the building line along the footpath, but this was often not the best solution.
“Building access ramps and steps, along with permanent utilities infrastructure and display of goods, often means the intended clear pathway along the building line simply doesn’t exist.
“We are instead proposing to make sure our accessible paths are kept free from obstructions.
“Since 2020 when we began offering public footpath and roadway space to businesses free of charge, we have approved nearly 1,000 applications, creating an estimated 13,000m2 of new space on roads and footpaths, supporting more than 860 businesses. The total value of support we have given businesses by waiving footpath and on-street outdoor dining fees since November 2020 is around $20 million.
“People really embraced the change, with businesses telling us they took on extra staff to cope with increased patronage. Three-quarters of participating businesses have said the boost in customer numbers meant they needed to hire more employees, with more than one-third seeing a 20% increase in turnover.
“It’s wonderful to see people out on the streets, connecting with each other and enjoying their neighbourhood while supporting local businesses. These latest changes will further enhance outdoor dining experiences while making the city more accessible for those passing through our streets.”
Alfredo Perez from Wings and Tins, La Farmacia and Mrs Palmer’s Sandwich has welcomed the proposals.
“We think the new changes are a positive step – outdoor dining allows customers to better enjoy Sydney’s great weather, creates a more vibrant street atmosphere, and gives venues the ability to increase table numbers. The additional flexibility these changes provide will directly support higher turnover and help hospitality businesses remain viable, especially in the current economic climate,” Mr Perez said.
The proposed outdoor dining guidelines will be open for public comment from 12 January to 12 March.
Feedback and comments will help shape the final version of updated outdoor guidelines which will go back to Council.
Read about the changes and have your say here.
Media contact: Elaine Kelly – 0477 362 550 or [email protected]
For interviews with Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO contact Paul Mackay – 0436 816 604 or [email protected]
For more stories about your local area, visit news.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
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