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Regional Place Activation Program

The QSBC has partnered with Renew Australia to offer a do-it-yourself (DIY) place activation program tailored to support small businesses in small towns across regional and remote Queensland.

About the program

 

The Regional Place Activation Program was established to help local small businesses evolve and cultivate more vibrant and active precincts.

It was a collaboration between Small Business Friendly Program members and property owners to offer local creative small businesses and entrepreneurs rent free access to vacant commercial spaces in main streets and town centres.

Councils with a population of less than 50,000, who are members of the SBF Program were invited to apply to participate in this program.

Participating councils

The councils selected for cohort 1 were:

  • Cassowary Coast Regional Council
  • Hinchinbrook Shire Council
  • Livingstone Shire Council
  • Mount Isa City Council

Cohort 1 projects have now closed.

The councils selected for cohort 2 were:

  • Banana Shire Council
  • Barcaldine Regional Council
  • Charters Towers Regional Council
  • Douglas Shire Council
  • Isaac Regional Council
  • Winton Shire Council

Benefits for small businesses

  • The program supported emerging businesses to trial an idea in a bricks and mortar location. 
  • It offered local creative small businesses and entrepreneurs rent free access to vacant commercial spaces in main streets and town centres.
  • A ‘creative’ was anyone who makes or creates their own wares or intellectual property such as artists, designers, performers and more.
  • The program was also open to social enterprises and community groups providing services to their communities.

Benefits for landlords

  • Activating vacant commercial property highlights the potential of the space to new long-term tenants.
  • This can help drive interest in the property and the broader area, helping you find a long-term tenant.
  • The program’s insurance policy covered public liability and broken glass while relevant utility costs are covered by the participating small businesses.
  • While the participating business occupied the property, it remained on the market and a ‘For Lease’ sign stays in the window.
  • When spaces were occupied, it helped reduce the risk of vandalism and may have reduced insurance costs.

Next steps

Creative Queensland Small businesses can still lodge an expression of interest (EOI) for cohort 2 councils to participate in their local council’s Renew Project until the project ends in November 2025.

Participating councils can negotiate with local property owners/managers to secure vacant commercial spaces for selected Queensland creative small businesses to trial an existing or new business idea, rent-free on a rolling 30-day basis.

Selected creative Queensland small businesses may then be matched with a suitable vacant commercial space if secured. Once a license agreement between the property owner/manager and the business is signed, the business can commence trading in the space.

Find out more...

If you are interested in this exciting program and want to learn more or submit an Expression of interest, visit the QSBC Regional Place Activation Program page on the Renew Australia website.

Find out more / Apply now