Background and aims
The City of Sydney, as it grows, aims to support an active and diverse evening culture and economy. To support this aspiration, The City of Sydney produced a discussion paper outlining plans for the future of Sydney’s nighttime economy. They proposed three actions: to allow businesses to trade later without obtaining an approval, to simplify the process for artists to open creative spaces, and to balance the impacts of live music and performance venues. These actions related to the following three regulatory reform projects:
A Diverse Evening Economy: Making it easier for shops and businesses to trade in Central Sydney and the village centers from 7am to 10pm, 7 days a week
More Small-Scale Cultural Uses: Making it easier for small-scale cultural uses to take place in existing buildings
Fair Management of Entertainment Noise: Protecting live music and performance venues and encouraging fair management of noise
In late 2017, a public consultation process was conducted by City of Sydney to gather feedback on the Open and Creative City discussion paper from local residents, workers, and visitors. This included an open online survey and deliberative workshops.
Our role
Global Research analysed all online survey responses and stakeholder and public submissions.
The survey contained both closed questioning and free-text written response questions. Global Research completed quantitative and qualitative data analysis of the responses to produce a report of synthesised themes and ideas that emerged from submissions.
Design and method
Free-text written responses were analysed with the assistance of qualitative data analysis software, NVivo. This was completed with comprehensive qualitative analysis of all comments, which involved analysts reading and coding all comments to identify consistent themes and what the weight of the arguments were on each. Survey question answers (closed questions) were presented in the report in chart form. Information was also distilled into key findings.
Result
Decision makers gained a reliable and balanced understanding of the views of the community on the issues involved in enhancing Sydney’s night time economy. Global Research produced a detailed report of public and stakeholder submissions. Comments and ideas from the public, along with stakeholder submissions and survey responses, were collated and summarised under discrete headings for easy reference by City of Sydney staff and stakeholders.
The Global Research report is available via the City of Sydney’s website, or by following this link.
Outcome
The report was used to give insight into community and stakeholder feelings towards the Open and Creative City initiatives, and to prepare for changes to the planning controls.
Following further consultation with stakeholders, a planning proposal will be released in 2019.
(image: Srikant Sahoo on Unsplash)