Open Sydney Strategy And Action Plan - City of Sydney - NSW ...

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ITEM 2. OPEN SYDNEY STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN
FILE NO: S093721
SUMMARY
For more than 18 months, the City has been undertaking research and major public
engagement to guide the development of a long term vision for Sydney at night. This
work ensures that we fully deliver on the Sustainable Sydney 2030 commitment to a City
that is safe, lively, is well connected, has fine grain activation, is economically strong and
is an inviting and global city by day and by night.
A global city at night is a city:
• with high quality transport allowing workers and visitors to travel home throughout the
night;
• with affordable housing to allow workers in the night time economy to live close to
their place of work;
• with well-designed and well-maintained streets and public spaces;
• that is ‘activated’ with creative and cultural events and programs; and
• where people feel safe at any time.
On 28 February 2011, Council resolved to accelerate the development of a long term
vision for Sydney at night. To achieve this goal the City embarked on an ambitious
public consultation process and an extensive research program.
On 24 October 2011, Council endorsed the public exhibition of the findings of this large
body of work including:
• Discussion Paper: OPEN Sydney – Future directions for Sydney at night;
• Night Time City Strategy Consultation Report;
• Late Night Management Areas Research – City of Sydney;
• Sydney Night Time Economy – Cost Benefit Analysis; and
• Night Time Economy Management – International Research and Practice.
On 15 June 2012, Council endorsed the public exhibition of the OPEN Sydney Draft
Strategy and Action Plan, which was informed by the above documents. This report
provides feedback on that public exhibition period and presents the final OPEN Sydney
Strategy and Action Plan for endorsement.
During the public exhibition of the OPEN Sydney – Draft Strategy and Action Plan
(between 15 June and 31 August 2012), the City received 25 submissions. Most
submissions were supportive of OPEN Sydney, however some disagreed with key
sections or proposed additional actions to be incorporated in to the final strategy. Of
those submissions:
• 12 submissions were from residents (including one resident association);
• four submissions were from individual business operators;
• four submissions were from industry organisations; and
• five submissions were from NSW Government departments.
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This report provides a summary of those submissions, how we have incorporated them
into the final OPEN Sydney Strategy and Action Plan, which is presented for final
endorsement. Tracked changes have been made to the final strategy to accommodate
those suggestions received during the public exhibition period.
OPEN Sydney is a strategy for the development of Sydney’s night-time economy. It
includes actions for making Sydney’s night-time economy a global leader, better
connected, more diverse, inviting and responsive to change. Most importantly, OPEN
Sydney is about ensuring that Sydney is a safe night time city for our residents, workers,
businesses and visitors. It provides a legacy for a much better city at night.
OPEN Sydney has five night-time goals:
• A Global Sydney at night – including global leadership, good governance and
coordinated action;
• A Connected Sydney at night – including connected transport and well-connected
visitors, business and events;
• A Diverse Sydney at night - including diverse options and planned growth;
• An Inviting Sydney at night – including better public spaces and improved drinking
cultures; and
• A Responsive Sydney at night – including responsive regulation, cutting red tape,
and local plans providing locally tailored solutions.
To achieve these ambitious goals, OPEN Sydney contains over 250 actions for the City,
NSW Government, business and cultural sectors to undertake. Some of the large scale
priority projects are:
• doubling of Nightride bus services and a night time shuttle bus service trial;
• an annual late night programming event where cultural institutions open late once a
year;
• Australia’s first 24 hour library;
• promotion of Sydney as the Asia Pacific’s key dining and live music destination;
• improving Sydney’s drinking culture
• hosting a Live Music Taskforce to drive the change in Sydney’s live music scene;
• new CCTV, more toilets and bigger bins;
• restrictions on growth in key late night precincts in Sydney;
• easier, faster and simpler processes for business; and
• clearer complaint making processes for residents.
Some of the key outcomes of OPEN Sydney by 2030 are:
• 40 per cent of people using the city at night will be aged over 40;
• 40 per cent of businesses open after 6pm will be shops;
• a doubling of the annual night time economy turnover to $30 billion; and
• a 25 per cent increase in jobs in Sydney’s night-time economy.
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RECOMMENDATION
It is resolved that:
(A) Council endorse the OPEN Sydney Strategy and Action Plan 2013-2030 as shown
at Attachment B to the subject report;
(B) Council endorse the creation of a Sector Roundtable, which will meet annually to
monitor and report on the implementation of OPEN Sydney; and
(C) the Lord Mayor write to the Premier to establish a Night Time Economy Taskforce
with representatives from Destination NSW, Transport for NSW, NSW Police,
Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing, Trade and Investment, Department of Justice
and Attorney General and local government. A reference group comprised of key
sectors should also be created to advise the Taskforce.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Summary of submissions to the OPEN Sydney Draft Strategy and
Action Plan.
Attachment B: OPEN Sydney Strategy and Action Plan 2013-2030
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BACKGROUND
1. Sustainable Sydney 2030 provides a clear direction for Sydney over the next 20
years, and recent work undertaken by the City aims to bring Sydney’s night time
economy into line with this important long term strategy. This work will not only
integrate the special needs of a city at night into Sustainable Sydney 2030, but
aims to manage economic, residential and tourism growth into the future.
Achieving better balance, improved diversity and services and infrastructure that
pre-empts growth gives Sydney the opportunity to become a world class night time
city.
2. On 28 February 2011, Council resolved to accelerate the development of a long
term vision for Sydney at night. To achieve this goal the City embarked on an
ambitious public consultation process and an extensive research program.
3. The consultation process for OPEN Sydney occurred in three stages.
4. Between 29 April and 17 June 2011, the “stage one” public consultation asked
residents, businesses, industry sectors, academics and government what’s
working in Sydney at night now, what could be improved, and how they’d like nighttime
Sydney to be by 2030. Over 9,000 unique visitors came to the
www.sydneyyoursay.com.au site, and more than 540 people provided comments in
face to face forums or interviews.
5. Across all modes of engagement, the key things that people thought Sydney was
getting right were the delivery of major events and outdoor festivals, our dining
scene, the emergence of small bars, and the concept of Sydney as a city of unique
precincts was also important. Our efforts to consult with people about the future
without a pre-written strategy was seen as a positive step. The key areas that
people wanted improved were:
(a) better integrated and longer running transport;
(b) more diversity of options at night for all age groups;
(c) good quality food choices available across the night;
(d) creative and beautiful lighting;
(e) more toilets;
(f) measures to address the drinking culture;
(g) cutting red tape and improved collaboration and partnership across all
sectors.
6. More detail about the engagement undertaken are in the “Public Consultation”
section later in this report.
7. In addition to the “Stage One” consultation process, in 2011 the City commissioned
three new pieces of research into the night-time economy not previously
undertaken in Australia.
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8. The Late Night Management Areas Research – City of Sydney provides an
overview of the key findings from two major pieces of research undertaken by the
City in March and December 2010. The research looked at pedestrian volumes,
congestion, anti-social behaviour, late night area attractors and transport usage
patterns in George Street South, Kings Cross, The Rocks and Oxford Street on
Friday and Saturday nights between 11pm and 5am. The southern CBD had the
highest pedestrian volumes, with a peak of 7,564 person per hour were on George
Street opposite the cinemas, Saturday 12-1am in December. Kings Cross was
also very busy during both count periods, with The Rocks experiencing the lowest
pedestrian volumes. Kings Cross had the highest level of anti-social behaviour,
which peak 1-2am. The City repeated this work in December 2012, and will soon
be reporting the findings.
9. The Sydney Night Time Economy – Cost Benefit Analysis provides the sales
turnover, employment figures, tax revenues, and patterns of growth in core
(entertainment, drink-led and food-led venues) and non-core businesses of
Sydney’s night time economy.
10. The City of Sydney’s night time economy generated $15.1billion turnover in 2009.
Of that total, $2.7 billion was generated by core businesses (including drink, food
and entertainment led firms). $12.4 billion was generated by non-core businesses
(including accommodation, transport, security, gaming, education and retail firms).
Core night time economy businesses employ 27,115 people, or 7 per cent of all
jobs in the City. When non-core business is added, this grows to 28.4 per cent of
all jobs. The estimated annual tax revenue generated by the City of Sydney’s
night-time economy was $457 million. The night-time economy is not without its
costs, which were about $125 million in 2009 for both state and local government.
This includes transport, police, health and local services such as cleansing. Of that
figure, $30 million is attributable to the City of Sydney.
11. In late 2012, City staff worked with the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors who are
funding a comparative piece of research based on Sydney’s methodology to
compare the night time economies of all major Australian cities, and a selection of
larger regional councils. This work covers the period between 2009 and 2011, and
the research will soon be available.
12. Night Time Economy Management – International Research and Practice details
the most effective approaches in night time economies according to the
international literature. This includes areas such as public health, responding to
heavy episodic drinking, public realm profiling, licensing approaches, design and
service interventions and developing sustainable and service based policies.
Eminent international researcher, Dr Phil Hadfield, completed this work for the City.
13. Between 24 October and 7 December 2011, the “stage two” public consultation
occurred, where the above pieces of research and the OPEN Sydney Discussion
Paper were publicly exhibited. Over 3,000 unique visitors came to the
www.sydneyyoursay.com.au site, and the City received 87 online submissions and
comments and 12 written submissions. More detail about the engagement
undertaken, and comments received on the Discussion Paper is in the “Public
Consultation” section later in this report.
14. Between 15 June and 31 August, “stage three” public consultation occurred, where
the OPEN Sydney Draft Strategy and Action Plan was placed on public exhibition.
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15. During the “stage three” public consultation, the City received 25 submissions. Of
those submissions:
(a) 12 submissions were from residents (including one resident association);
(b) four submissions were from individual business operators;
(c) four submissions were from industry organisations; and
(d) five submissions were from NSW Government departments.
16. Most submissions were supportive of OPEN Sydney, however some disagreed
with key sections or proposed additional actions to be incorporated in to the final
strategy. The key items that were supported in most submissions included
improved economic diversity and choice, improved late night transport and
measures to reduce impacts on residents. The key objections related to the
proposed licensing permit system, measures to address cumulative impact and the
concern that growth in the night time economy could create more violence. A
summary of the submissions it at Attachment A.
Strategic Alignment - Sustainable Sydney 2030
17. Sustainable Sydney 2030 is a vision for the sustainable development of the City to
2030 and beyond. It includes 10 strategic directions to guide the future of the City,
as well as 10 targets against which to measure progress. The OPEN Sydney
Strategy will be integrated into Sustainable Sydney 2030 to ensure it continues to
be delivered into the future. The key directions that OPEN Sydney will be
incorporated into include:
(a) Direction 1 - A Globally Competitive and Innovative City;
(b) Direction 3 - Integrated Transport for a Connected City;
(c) Direction 4 - A City of Pedestrians and Cyclists;
(d) Direction 5 - A Lively and Engaging City Centre;
(e) Direction 6 - Vibrant Local Community and Economies;
(f) Direction 7 - A Cultural and Creative City;
(g) Direction 9 - Sustainable Development, Renewal and Design; and
(h) Direction 10 - Effective Governance and Partnerships.
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Social / Cultural / Community
18. The OPEN Sydney Strategy and Action Plan aims to better balance Sydney’s night
time economy, ensuring that it is safe and accessible, attractive and relevant to all
members of the community. This will require an increase in the diversity of
opportunities available at night, including later trading retail, cultural and dining
options and better design and servicing of our public spaces to make them far
more appealing and attractive. Affordability of options will also be a consideration,
ensuring that income level is not a barrier to life in Sydney at night. For residents,
this will mean more access to information about development consent information,
easier complaint making processes and acoustic measures for new development in
late trading areas to reduce noise impacts.
19. OPEN Sydney aims to diversify Sydney’s night time options and the City
recognises the work undertaken by many cultural venues to extend innovative
programming into the evening, with the Art Gallery of NSW, Australian Museum,
State Library and Museum of Contemporary Art all running highly successful night
programs. Many licensed venues have also introduced interesting programming
such as pop up art galleries, life drawing classes, burlesque and ping pong
tournaments to name a few.
20. During the three phases of the OPEN Sydney consultation, City staff have been
implementing many of the good ideas that have come from the public. This
includes the Sydney Business 101 Workshop Series. In response to business
concerns about red tape, since October 2011, the City has run eight “101” or “how
to” workshops on how to understand development applications, set up a small bar,
food business, pop up event and have live music. There are nine scheduled 101
business workshops for 2013.
21. The Kings Cross Plan of Management was another idea suggested during
consultation, and this is now being led by the Department of Premier and Cabinet
in partnership with the City of Sydney. Many actions are already underway in
Kings Cross, and numerous actions also proposed in OPEN Sydney are now being
piloted in the Kings Cross area (e.g. linked ID scanners).
22. The Sydney Food Trucks project is another idea that came from the
www.sydneyyoursay.com.au online forum. This was recently partnered with Art &
About and CRAVE in an event called Moveable Feast, which closed George Street
on the Saturday night of 20 October 2012. Staff have also been implementing the
precinct specific Kings Cross Plan of Management. Work started on the scope of
this plan in October 2011, prior to the tragic death of Thomas Kelly in 2012. This
work was the subject of report to Council in October 2012, and many actions have
already been delivered out of that plan by the City and NSW Government.
23. The City is also delivering on our leadership role in this policy area, by working with
the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors who has funded the “Measuring the
Australian Night Time Economy” research study, which compares the performance
of major cities and some smaller centres across Australia. This work is soon to be
released and is based on the City of Sydney’s methodology from 2011.
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Economic
24. One of the chief aims of OPEN Sydney is to ensure that Sydney’s night time
economy achieves sustainable economic growth whilst balancing the interests of a
growing residential population. This especially targets growth in evening retail and
cultural activity, and the leveraging of economic activity from events large and
small in Sydney at night. OPEN Sydney also focuses on achieving significant
tourism growth, by adding the option of multiple night-time experiences in Sydney.
To ensure that growth is possible, red tape will need to be cut, which will make it
easier and simpler to do business in Sydney.
RELEVANT LEGISLATION
25. Local Government Act 1993.
26. NSW Liquor Act 2007.
27. Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
28. Protection of the Environment Act 1997.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION
29. The City has now undertaken three comprehensive and distinct consultation steps
to produce the OPEN Sydney Strategy and Action Plan for which final
endorsement is sought in this report.
OPEN Sydney consultation stage one
30. An extensive public consultation process was undertaken to understand how
Sydney’s night time economy could be improved in the future. Consultants
Straight Talk developed the extensive engagement framework, and Kathy Jones
and Associates assisted City staff with the implementation of the consultation.
31. Over a 6.5 week period between 29 April and 17 June 2011, the following public
engagement was undertaken:
(a) a Sector Roundtable (with senior NSW Government, retail, liquor and cultural
representatives) - 18 participants;
(b) a Key Stakeholder Workshop (with leading festival, food, theatre, liquor,
cultural, local business chambers and dining figures delivering Sydney’s
current night time offering) – 39 participants;
(c) five Community Precinct Forums (with residents in CBD, Pyrmont, Ultimo /
Paddington, Darlinghurst, Surry Hills / Kings Cross, Potts Point,
Woolloomooloo / Glebe, Newtown, Chippendale, Darlington, Erskineville /
Redfern, Alexandria, Zetland, Waterloo, Green Square) – 104 participants;
(d) three Focus Groups (Police/Academics/Industry Innovators) – 49
participants;
(e) eight Street Outreach sessions – 333 people interviewed on the street across
the City at different times of the day and night; and
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(f) an Online forum www.sydneyyoursay.com.au – with over 9,000 unique
visitors and over 30,000 page views, and the first time the City has used an
online forum to engage with the public. This forum successfully captured our
under 35 year demographic, who rarely come to the City’s face to face
consultations.
OPEN Sydney consultation stage two – Discussion Paper
32. Ideas and suggestions from the public consultation process and from the three
pieces of research were reflected in the Discussion Paper: OPEN Sydney.
Between 24 October and 7 December 2011, the Discussion Paper and research
documents were placed on public exhibition.
33. An email was sent to all “stage one” consultation online and face to face forum
participants regarding the commencement of the public notification period. Links
were sent to all key documents on public exhibition and all participants were
encouraged to provide a submission. Letters were sent to all relevant NSW
government departments, academic, retail, cultural, dining, liquor and
entertainment stakeholders. Advertisements were also placed in a small number of
print and online media sources.
34. In addition to public notification, the City undertook the following engagement:
(a) a Sector Roundtable (with senior NSW Government, retail, liquor and cultural
representatives);
(b) an Online forum www.sydneyyoursay.com.au (with nearly 3,000 unique
visitors and 87 online submissions, comments and surveys completed); and
(c) 12 external stakeholder briefings providing information about the OPEN
Sydney Discussion Paper and research documents.
35. In the “sydneyyoursay” online forum, 44 people posted comments, 42 people
completed an online survey and five people made online submissions. The key
areas of interest and comment were:
(a) the need for more late night public transport;
(b) the importance of encouraging a diversity of night-time activities; and
(c) the need to ensure that growth within the night time economy is sustainable.
36. Other issues such as public space design and services, red tape, innovation and
regulation were raised, but received less attention in the online forum.
37. The City also received 16 written submissions including seven from NSW
Government agencies, five from industry bodies, three from businesses, and two
from residents. The most commented on topic areas were transport, diversity of
choices, public space services and design and planning, licensing and the
regulatory environment. Fewer comments were received on red tape and
innovation, sustainable growth, and local precincts. Most comments supported the
options for action in the Discussion Paper, with several new suggestions. Ideas
and comments from the public exhibition of the Discussion Paper and research
informed the preparation of the Draft Strategy and Action Plan.
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OPEN Sydney consultation stage three – Draft Strategy & Action Plan
38. The OPEN Sydney Draft Strategy and Action Plan was placed on public exhibition
from 15 June to 31 August 2012.
39. Once again, an email was sent to all stage one and stage two online and face to
face forum participants regarding the commencement of the public notification
period. Links were sent to the Draft Strategy and Action Plan once on public
exhibition and all participants were encouraged to provide a submission. Letters
were sent to all relevant NSW Government departments, academic, retail, cultural,
dining, liquor and entertainment stakeholders. Advertisement were also placed in a
small number of print and online media sources.
40. In addition to public notification, City staff undertook the following engagement:
(a) a Sector Roundtable (with senior NSW Government, retail, liquor and cultural
representatives);
(b) 17 external stakeholder briefings providing information about the OPEN
Sydney Draft Strategy and Action Plan and engagement process.
41. The City received 25 submissions. Most submissions were supportive of OPEN
Sydney, however some disagreed with key sections or proposed additional actions
to be incorporated in to the final strategy.
42. Of the submissions received:
(a) 12 were from residents (including one resident association);
(b) four were from individual business operators;
(c) four were from industry organisations; and
(d) five were from NSW Government departments.
43. A table containing a summary of all written submissions received regarding the
OPEN Sydney Draft Strategy and Action Plan is at Attachment A. This table also
outlines the City’s response to each comment in each submission, and how the
additional comments were (or were not) integrated into the OPEN Sydney Strategy
and Action Plan, which is at Attachment B.
ANN HOBAN
Director City Life
Suzie Matthews, Manager Business Precincts, Late Night Economy & Safe City
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