We are currently preparing a Commercial Centres Strategy in two parts (Part 1 and Part 2). This Strategy will support the new Georges River Local Environmental Plan (LEP) 2020.

Part 1 Centres Analysis was adopted by Council on 24 February 2020 and includes:

1. Commercial Centres Strategy - Part 1 Centres Analysis (February 2020).
2. Appendix 1 - Commercial Centres Economic Study.
3. Appendix 2 - Centres Review:

1. Contents & Overview.
2. Strategic Centres.
3. Local Centres.
4. Villages.
5. Small Villages.
6. Neighbourhoods.
7. Special Areas.

The main purpose of this Part is to inform the preparation of LEP 2020 and its development control plan. Our local government area (LGA) has 48 commercial centres. This Part looks at all these centres as a whole with the aim of harmonising their current planning framework for future development.

It harmonises permitted land uses to encourage employment in response to emerging economic trends. It looks into the appropriate mix required between employment and residential floor space in mixed use developments. This Part also includes rezoning criteria guidelines to manage planning proposals that seek to expand existing centres.

This Part is guided by the Commercial Centres Economic Study. It estimates the long term employment floor space demand of all centres. The hierarchy shown below is based on the current supply of retail floor space within each centre:

1. Two Strategic centres.
2. Seven Local centres.
3. Five Villages.
4. Ten Small villages.
5. Twenty four Neighbourhood centres.
6. One B6 Enterprise Corridor.

Part 2 of the Strategy is currently underway. It will guide the LEP 2023 (Jobs and Activation) amendment to the Georges River LEP 2020 and its development control plan. This Part will look at the roles and functions of all 48 commercial centres. It will provide centre-specific objectives, building controls and guidelines. As well as explore the potential expansion of appropriate centres.  
 

Revised Employment Projections

Since the Economic Study for Part 1 of the Centres Strategy was completed, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused shifts in demographic trends. Causing flow-on effects to our population and employment profile.

In response, Council engaged HillPDA in 2023 to undertake an update of the 2019 Economic Study for the 2036 employment projections. This was to better understand the likely impacts of COVID-19 on the LGA.

The Georges River Revised Employment Projections (June 2023) rebased the 2036 employment projections. It used population data from:

• The 2021 Census of Population and Housing conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
• Employment data released by Transport for NSW in November 2022.

The revised projections have found the LGA has self-corrected the employment impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown measures. The future employment floor space demands outlined by Part 1 of the Centres Strategy remain applicable for the LGA’s commercial centres.