Learn about Vibrant Spaces

It’s now easier than ever to use the footpath outside your business

We’ve cut red tape and removed fees to give you more freedom to create vibrant, welcoming spaces. Set up seating, add some greenery or showcase local art. it's your chance to bring life to the street and connect with your community.

Read our Footpath Activities in Town Centres Policy(PDF, 128KB)

There are only four easy steps to follow if you want to get involved:

1. Take a common sense approach

When placing anything on the footpath remember this is a community space. Consider the needs of the youngest child, people with limited abilities and our oldest citizen – can they still use the path safely, get to their car, post the mail, wait for the bus or cross the road? Is everyone safe? Look up and make sure people won’t hit their heads and that everything is secure during strong winds and put away at night.

2. Cooperate and collaborate

Work together with neighbouring businesses to attract people to our streets and stay a little longer. You know best how to attract customers, so expand those ideas onto the street. Through collaboration and cooperation, you can create exciting places. For example, a clothing shop can benefit from having outdoor dining extended over the footpath from the neighbouring cafe. Many great shopping purchases can be made while waiting for a coffee to arrive. Activities should not impede or compromise neighbouring businesses.

3. Be responsible for the footpath

You will be the first stop for people with compliments and criticism. Take on board what people say, listen to concerns and make changes - especially when safety and access is raised.

4. Have public liability insurance

You will also need to have a chat with your insurer. Your public liability insurance will need to cover the use of the footpath (a minimum of $20 million liability). Remember that while we encourage activity on the footpaths there is still legislation that needs to be complied with, for example liquor licensing and food licensing. 

Things to consider before registering your business

Before you fill in the form, please ensure that you have first:

  • Spoken with adjacent business owners to let them know what you are proposing.
  • Provided enough room for people to easily walk down the path unimpeded (1.8m wide clear path). Is there enough room for people to pass, especially if pushing a pram or in a wheel chair? Can people still use the path safely, get to their car, post the mail, wait for the bus or cross the road?
  • Ensured that your current public liability insurance cover extends to you using the public footpath (minimum of $20 million liability)
  • Made sure that you will not create a public nuisance.

Additional things you should consider:

  • We may randomly audit your public liability insurance at any time.
  • No more than one sandwich board per business is to be placed on the footpath.
  • To maintain easy access for vision impaired people, furniture or items should not be located along the front wall of the business. If this is not possible, ensure that the placement of items is consistent (provides a predictable pathway) and has either:
    • A solid structure at either end of the display to guide people using white canes away from the wall. This could include solid furniture, a planter box or cafe barrier commonly used by coffee shops, all of which have a barrier close to the ground.
    • Sturdy furniture or items that are unlikely to fall over and are grouped to be easily identified when using a white cane. These items need to be located close to the wall to guide the cane away from the wall.

Businesses must re-register annually and provide a copy of current public liability insurance.

Register for Vibrant Spaces

Need some help?

If you're unsure on how to create a Vibrant Space, just ask!

We're available to assist with any enquiries you may have. Simply pick up the phone and call us 02 7955 7777 or send through a customer request and we will respond as quick as we can. 

We're also very happy to offer advice so that you can gain real insight into which Vibrant Spaces ideas might work better than others.

Back to top