Project Name          Campbelltown Business Centres Strategy
Prepared For           Campbelltown City Council
Project Date            2005

Campbelltown City is located on the south-western edge of the Sydney metropolitan area, and generally takes a `corridor' form of urban development that straddles the M5 Motorway/Hume Highway and the southwest railway. Macarthur and Campbelltown CBD precincts and the Blaxland Road bulky goods retailing precinct, have a regional significance to the hierarchy of centres and retailing in south-western Sydney.  Major anchor facilities such as the University of Western Sydney campus and the Campbelltown Hospital facility would seem to support this wider regional positioning.

There were a number of major issues that were of concern to Council, which prompted a review of the retail hierarchy and business centres. These included: an increase in enquiries for rezoning for retail and commercial development; concerns over the future of Queen Street; emerging demands for investment in civic infrastructure; declining supply of opportunities for `out of centre' bulky goods/big box retailing; and the decline of some local centre retail activity.

As a result, having a Retail Centres Strategy which addresses these issues reflects an understanding of the investment by the community in the planning of commercial centres and in suitably guiding other aspects of development. The reasons for having a Retail Strategy include:

• Retailing is a major sector in the economy;
• A strategy provides the background material for guidance in retail planning and development;
• Population growth generates retail demand;
• The retail sector is dynamic, with significant on going changes that need to be taken into account;
• Urban settlement patterns significantly influence where new and expanded retail facilities should locate;
• The hierarchy of retail centres is important in helping to identify where particular types of new or expanded retail should locate;
• Development proposals affect the economic and social vitality of retail centres.
• Influence of retailing outside the LGA affects investment decisions;
• Commercial offices in town and city centres create jobs, tax revenues and the critical mass of potential users for other uses such a restaurants, shopping and entertainment;
• Regional centres attract creative and entertainment industries; and
• Residential living in town centres is recognised as an important element of fostering the living city concept.

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