FAQs

The Draft Armidale City Centre Vitality Plan is a long-term strategy prepared by Council to guide the revitalisation of the Armidale City Centre. It sets out a clear vision, framework and action plan to improve the city centre’s economic performance, public spaces, accessibility, and liveability.

The city centre is not “failing” in isolation, but it is experiencing long-term structural challenges, including:

• Reduced activity due to changing retail patterns and growth of large-format shopping centres
• Limited residential population and after-hours activity
• An inward-facing pedestrian mall that reduces visibility and access
• Ageing buildings and underutilised sites
• Fragmented investment and lack of coordinated planning
• Loss of heritage streetscape elements such as verandahs

These issues have developed over decades and cannot be addressed through a single project.

The Plan provides a coordinated response to these challenges by:

• Re-establishing Beardy Street as an active shared main street
• Delivering major public domain upgrades across the city centre
• Supporting more housing (including shop-top housing)
• Encouraging redevelopment of key sites
• Improving accessibility, parking and connections
• Promoting heritage restoration and adaptive reuse
• Providing a clear implementation and funding framework

Yes. Council has undertaken many studies and plans over the past 40–50 years. However:

• Many were issue-specific (traffic, retail, parking) rather than integrated
• Some were not fully implemented
• Conditions have changed significantly over time

The Vitality Plan builds on this previous work and consolidates it into a single, coordinated and deliverable framework.

Council has several strategic documents (e.g. LSPS, Local Housing Strategy), but these operate at a broader level.

The Vitality Plan is the first document that:

• Focuses specifically on the City Centre
• Combines planning, design, infrastructure and economic actions
• Provides a detailed implementation pathway

The Vitality Plan directly implements and supports:

• Advancing Our Region Community Strategic Plan
• Delivery Program and Operational Plan
• Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS)
• Local Housing Strategy (LHS)
• State planning priorities for regional growth and housing

It translates these high-level strategies into specific actions and projects within the city centre.

The Plan proposes to transition the existing Beardy Street Mall into a shared pedestrian and vehicular main street.

This will include:

• Reintroducing slow-speed traffic and associated parking
• Retaining pedestrian priority and high-quality public space
• Upgrading paving, lighting, landscaping and seating
• Improving accessibility, visibility and activity

This approach reflects contemporary main street design and aims to increase foot traffic and economic activity.

Over time, the Plan aims to deliver:

• A more active, vibrant and economically resilient city centre
• Increased population living in and around the centre
• High-quality, attractive and consistent public spaces
• Stronger heritage character and identity
• Increased private investment and redevelopment
• Improved connectivity, walkability and parking outcomes

Short-term (0–5 years) priorities include:

• Delivery of key projects such as:
  • East Mall upgrade
  • Old Court House Walkway
  • Civic Park renewal (as the next stage of Creeklands Masterplan)
• Commencement of Beardy Street shared street upgrade (detailed designs)
• Preparation of key planning controls (LEP and DCP changes)
• Development of a City Centre Streetscape Masterplan

Long-term (5–20 years) outcomes include:

• Full transformation of Beardy Street into a shared main street
• Redevelopment of key catalyst sites (e.g. Moore Street, Allingham Street)
• Delivery of a new city centre library
• Completion of a connected laneway network
• Widespread mixed-use development and housing
• A fully upgraded and consistent public domain across the centre

Commercial rents are set by the private market between landlords and tenants. Council does not have legal authority to regulate rental pricing.

Instead, the Plan focuses on increasing demand by:

• Improving the attractiveness of the centre
• Increasing foot traffic
• Supporting population growth

There is currently no legislative mechanism in NSW that allows councils to impose vacancy taxes or penalties on empty commercial properties.

The Plan addresses vacancy indirectly through:

• Creating more activity and demand
• Supporting redevelopment opportunities
• Reducing barriers to investment

Council cannot generally compel building upgrades unless there are safety or compliance issues.

However, Council can:

• Introduce planning controls that encourage better design
• Provide incentives for heritage restoration
• Lead by example through its own projects
• Work with landowners to support redevelopment

Funding will come from a combination of sources, including:

• Council capital works programs
• External grants (State and Federal)
• Private sector investment
• Planning agreements and contributions
• Potential future funding mechanisms such as a City Centre Fund

The Plan identifies funding pathways but does not commit funding at this stage.

The Plan is designed to be implemented over the short, medium and long term (0–20 years).

• Short term (0–5 years): Early catalyst projects and planning reforms
• Medium term (5–10 years): Expansion of public domain upgrades and redevelopment activity
• Long term (10+ years): Realisation of major elements of the city centre plan, including key redevelopment sites.

Following Council endorsement:

• The Draft Plan will be placed on public exhibition for 42 days
• The community and stakeholders can make submissions
• Council will consider feedback and refine the Plan
• A final report will be presented to Council considering submissions

The Plan aims to deliver:

• A more vibrant and attractive city centre
• Better public spaces for everyday use and events
• Improved local businesses and job opportunities
• More housing choices close to services
• Stronger heritage identity and character

The city centre has reached a point where long-standing challenges require coordinated action.

The Vitality Plan provides a clear, evidence-based and deliverable approach that aligns with current funding opportunities, planning frameworks and community expectations.

Identification of a property within the Vitality Plan does not change ownership, zoning or development rights. It simply indicates that the site may have strategic importance to the future of the city centre and may present opportunities for redevelopment, investment, public realm improvements or better land use outcomes over time.

No. Inclusion of a property in the Vitality Plan does not mean Council has decided to acquire the site.

Any future acquisition proposal would require separate Council consideration, investigation, consultation and funding.

No. The Vitality Plan does not require property owners to redevelop their land.

The Plan seeks to create opportunities and encourage investment but does not compel redevelopment.

No. The Plan identifies opportunities only. Property owners are not required to undertake development as a result of the Plan.

The Vitality Plan does not directly alter property values. However, long-term planning initiatives and public investment can influence market interest and investment decisions over time.

Yes. If future projects directly affect private land, Council would engage with affected owners as part of any detailed investigation and planning process.

The Vitality Plan is a strategic document and does not determine the future of individual businesses.

Any redevelopment proposal would require further planning, consultation and consideration of existing tenants, operators and landowners.

The Vitality Plan does not require businesses to relocate.

Future redevelopment proposals would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Compensation arrangements, if applicable, would depend on the circumstances of individual projects and relevant legislation.

No compensation arrangements are proposed through the Vitality Plan itself.

Many redevelopment opportunities identified in the Plan may take years or decades to occur, if at all.

Existing businesses can continue to operate unless future approvals or redevelopment proposals are pursued through separate processes.

If major public domain projects proceed, Council will seek to minimise disruption through staging, communication and maintaining access wherever possible.

Detailed business support measures would be considered during project planning.

Certain sites have been identified because of their size, location, redevelopment potential, strategic importance or ability to catalyse broader investment.

No. Many identified sites represent long-term opportunities and may take many years to evolve.

The Vitality Plan identifies opportunities at a strategic level. Inclusion of a site does not  indicate that redevelopment proposals have been agreed to by owners at this time.

The purpose is to understand how the city centre could function more effectively in the future and where opportunities may exist to steer and better support growth, housing, employment and investment from a planning perspective.

The Plan encourages the conservation, restoration and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings.

Existing heritage protections continue to apply.

No additional requirements are created by the Vitality Plan itself.

Any future planning changes would be subject to separate consultation and statutory processes.

Generally, property owners are responsible for works to private buildings. Future incentive programs or grant opportunities may be investigated, but no specific funding commitments are made in the Plan.

At this stage there are no approved construction works.

If future public domain projects proceed, detailed design and construction planning would aim to maintain access to businesses and minimise disruption.

Yes. A key objective of the Plan is to strengthen city centre activation through events, markets and community activities.

Future designs would seek to accommodate these uses.

No. The concept proposed is a shared environment where pedestrians remain a priority while improving accessibility and movement through the city centre on a daily basis. the intent is that when special events are held, the Mall can be closed to vehicles and become a pedestrian only space when required.

The Vitality Plan does not make final decisions regarding individual public assets.

These matters would be addressed as part of future detailed design and community consultation processes.

The Vitality Plan itself does not change zoning nor does it propose to.

Any future planning control changes would require separate statutory processes, public exhibition and approvals.

The Plan recommends future reviews of planning controls, particularly the Development Control Plan (DCP). Any proposed changes would be publicly exhibited before adoption.

Yes. Any proposed amendments to the LEP or DCP would involve their own consultation processes and opportunities for public submissions.

No. Adoption establishes a strategic framework and priorities. Individual projects will still require funding, design and future Council decisions.

No. The Plan is intended to be implemented over many years, with some projects occurring sooner than others.

Projects may be delayed, staged differently or reconsidered depending on funding availability and Council priorities.

Council encourages submissions on specific projects, actions or recommendations. You do not need to support or oppose the entire Plan to provide feedback.

Yes. The purpose of public exhibition is to gather feedback before the Plan is finalised. Council will review submissions, consider amendments where appropriate, and prepare a further report before any decision is made on adoption of the Plan.