ELEVEN per cent of Auburn St retail spaces have been identified as vacant in a recent Council CBD Occupancy audit.
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Undertaken every quarter since December 2011, the survey (completed again late last month) measured available and inactive properties in a bid to map economic trends, Goulburn Mulwaree General Manager Warwick Bennett said.
Of the 240 premises in Auburn St, 25 identified as vacant. 11 of these were reported as available (that is, actively participating in the market with lease signs etc) and the remaining 14 listed as inactive, meaning the site is under development or requiring renovation.
“The audit is more about having an indicator of economic trends over time which is factual and quotable, and which facilitates evidencebased decision making.
Economic trends at the local/micro level can be difficult to measure,” Mr Bennett said.
“The vacancy pattern does appear to be cyclical with the fewest vacancies in the December quarter and the highest over the March and June quarters.”
The figures remain relatively unchanged in comparison to the March 2014 audit, which found 25 vacancies; 10 properties available and 15 inactive.
March 2013 and 2012 audits returned figures of 22 and 23 vacancies respectively.
Mr Bennett said vacancies are usually lowest in Centro and Marketplace centres, as well as the Auburn St blocks between Verner and Clifford Streets. The highest vacancy rates can be found between Goldsmith and Bradley Sts.
A report on the outcomes and a forward direction will be considered by Council in May.
“Council is very involved in attracting new businesses to Goulburn,” Mr Bennett added.
“We are aware that 70 per cent of people employed in this region are employed in businesses of less than 20 people. Most of those are associated with either the trades or retail. 95 per cent of all businesses in Goulburn employ less than 20 people.
So we place considerable emphasis to attract new business.” He listed the $5 million ‘Beautification’ works and programs such as the grants to repaint heritage CBD shopfronts as examples.
“Council is also having a number of discussions with business looking at establishing in the Goulburn region.
These business associated with poultry industry, horticulture industry and the quarry industry. As these industries grow they will increase the amount of retail spend required in this region and the have the potential to grow the CBD needs for Goulburn,” Mr Bennett said.
Great escape
Meantime, Council has partnered up with the University of Western Sydney (UWS) to complete a local spending study.
The “Escape Spending Study”, initiated by Council in response to concern of the Goulburn Chamber Of Commerce, aims to identify current shopping habits of Goulburn Mulwaree residents.
“Escape spending occurs when residents of one area spend money outside of that local area on goods and services,” Mr Bennett explained.
“Where escape spending is high, local employment opportunities and flow-on benefits are reduced as less income is retained and spent locally.
“The Escape Spending Study aims to identify the current shopping patterns of Goulburn Mulwaree residents for the purpose of developing targeted solutions, which may be a shop local campaign or strategies to address any issues identified.”
He said Council is awaiting a project brief response from a UWS student undertaking a Masters Degree in Urban Planning and Management.
Council’s annual economic development research scholarship, to the tune of $1,500, will help with the student’s expenses.