Hunter Street Mall makeover: parking limits slashed, markets scrapped
The state of the mall came under the microscope at a council meeting this week after residents raised concerns with graffiti, lighting, road signage and disability access earlier this year.
Independent councillor Peter Gittins said a number of those issues had been addressed, but graffiti was still a big problem.
"The point that I would like to stress, and stress strongly, is the graffiti plague that is absolutely and totally evident in this city," he said.
"Not only in the area between Newcomen and Thorne streets, but along Hunter Street in particular."
Business Improvement Associations have funding available for beautification, and the City of Newcastle has undertaken public domain works as part of its East End Village project, aimed at reinstating Hunter Street as a traditional high street.
The original motion to the council suggested working with businesses to remove graffiti or install public art; reviewing parking arrangements in the mall to support an additional 30-minute unpaid parking period, and asking council staff to scope a time-bound CCTV trial to address antisocial behaviour.
What was approved largely acknowledged the work already under way.
The council has been reviewing CBD parking since July 2024.
A City of Newcastle spokesman confirmed that two-hour paid parking between Brown and Wolfe streets will drop to a one-hour limit.
"This will ensure parking spaces turn over more regularly to support local businesses during planned construction works on the East End Village project," he said.
In 2009, the council signed a contract with Sydney-based Chourlartons Australia, trading as Organic Food Markets, to operate markets in the mall.
Initially designed to complement brick-and-mortar traders, the contract has continued on a month-to-month basis since 2017 and has recently dwindled to just two regular stallholders.
Now, the council said they are operating in "direct competition" with nearby businesses.
"The Newcastle Business Improvement Association wrote to City of Newcastle in 2023, indicating they do not support the continuation of the markets, as they have had a negative impact on the trade of the existing established businesses," a council spokesman said.
With the next stages of the East End Village works looming, the space used by stallholders will no longer be available.
The council spokesman said the market operator and stallholders were told about the changes in 2023, and the council is now preparing to issue a formal notice.
The council has committed $6.5 million to renewal works in the precinct in its 2025-26 budget, including new footpaths, tree planting, road resurfacing and stormwater and water infrastructure replacements.
Stage 5 of the East End Public Domain Plan has been funded for detailed design.
Labor councillor Declan Clausen said he is optimistic about the changes coming to the mall.
"At the moment, there is a billion dollars worth of private capital currently being invested into the mall, and it is creating a better environment than what was there previously," he said.
"But it is disruptive, that's fair to say, and it has had an impact on some of the existing traders in the mall, as well as a result of the vacancies that have been necessary as demolition and construction work have continued."
Cr Clausen said the process has been a "little clunky" but praised the businesses that have kept trading.
"What I fear as a council is that when we talk negatively ... or point out some of these issues, the consequence of that is that it could turn away people and customers that would otherwise wish to visit that precinct," he said.
Future changes to Hunter Street will include upgrades on Laing Street, Market Street and the potential for a Melbourne lane-way style development by closing Keightley Street to traffic.
MARKET stall holders will get the boot and parking will be limited to one hour in part of the Hunter Street Mall as Newcastle council works to bolster local businesses.
The state of the mall came under the microscope at a council meeting this week after residents raised concerns with graffiti, lighting, road signage and disability access earlier this year.
Independent councillor Peter Gittins said a number of those issues had been addressed, but graffiti was still a big problem.
"The point that I would like to stress, and stress strongly, is the graffiti plague that is absolutely and totally evident in this city," he said.
"Not only in the area between Newcomen and Thorne streets, but along Hunter Street in particular."
Business Improvement Associations have funding available for beautification, and the City of Newcastle has undertaken public domain works as part of its East End Village project, aimed at reinstating Hunter Street as a traditional high street.
The original motion to the council suggested working with businesses to remove graffiti or install public art; reviewing parking arrangements in the mall to support an additional 30-minute unpaid parking period, and asking council staff to scope a time-bound CCTV trial to address antisocial behaviour.
What was approved largely acknowledged the work already under way.
The council has been reviewing CBD parking since July 2024.
A City of Newcastle spokesman confirmed that two-hour paid parking between Brown and Wolfe streets will drop to a one-hour limit.
"This will ensure parking spaces turn over more regularly to support local businesses during planned construction works on the East End Village project," he said.
In 2009, the council signed a contract with Sydney-based Chourlartons Australia, trading as Organic Food Markets, to operate markets in the mall.
Initially designed to complement brick-and-mortar traders, the contract has continued on a month-to-month basis since 2017 and has recently dwindled to just two regular stallholders.
Now, the council said they are operating in "direct competition" with nearby businesses.
"The Newcastle Business Improvement Association wrote to City of Newcastle in 2023, indicating they do not support the continuation of the markets, as they have had a negative impact on the trade of the existing established businesses," a council spokesman said.
With the next stages of the East End Village works looming, the space used by stallholders will no longer be available.
The council spokesman said the market operator and stallholders were told about the changes in 2023, and the council is now preparing to issue a formal notice.
The council has committed $6.5 million to renewal works in the precinct in its 2025-26 budget, including new footpaths, tree planting, road resurfacing and stormwater and water infrastructure replacements.
Stage 5 of the East End Public Domain Plan has been funded for detailed design.
Labor councillor Declan Clausen said he is optimistic about the changes coming to the mall.
"At the moment, there is a billion dollars worth of private capital currently being invested into the mall, and it is creating a better environment than what was there previously," he said.
"But it is disruptive, that's fair to say, and it has had an impact on some of the existing traders in the mall, as well as a result of the vacancies that have been necessary as demolition and construction work have continued."
Cr Clausen said the process has been a "little clunky" but praised the businesses that have kept trading.
"What I fear as a council is that when we talk negatively ... or point out some of these issues, the consequence of that is that it could turn away people and customers that would otherwise wish to visit that precinct," he said.
Future changes to Hunter Street will include upgrades on Laing Street, Market Street and the potential for a Melbourne lane-way style development by closing Keightley Street to traffic.
MARKET stall holders will get the boot and parking will be limited to one hour in part of the Hunter Street Mall as Newcastle council works to bolster local businesses.
The state of the mall came under the microscope at a council meeting this week after residents raised concerns with graffiti, lighting, road signage and disability access earlier this year.
Independent councillor Peter Gittins said a number of those issues had been addressed, but graffiti was still a big problem.
"The point that I would like to stress, and stress strongly, is the graffiti plague that is absolutely and totally evident in this city," he said.
"Not only in the area between Newcomen and Thorne streets, but along Hunter Street in particular."
Business Improvement Associations have funding available for beautification, and the City of Newcastle has undertaken public domain works as part of its East End Village project, aimed at reinstating Hunter Street as a traditional high street.
The original motion to the council suggested working with businesses to remove graffiti or install public art; reviewing parking arrangements in the mall to support an additional 30-minute unpaid parking period, and asking council staff to scope a time-bound CCTV trial to address antisocial behaviour.
What was approved largely acknowledged the work already under way.
The council has been reviewing CBD parking since July 2024.
A City of Newcastle spokesman confirmed that two-hour paid parking between Brown and Wolfe streets will drop to a one-hour limit.
"This will ensure parking spaces turn over more regularly to support local businesses during planned construction works on the East End Village project," he said.
In 2009, the council signed a contract with Sydney-based Chourlartons Australia, trading as Organic Food Markets, to operate markets in the mall.
Initially designed to complement brick-and-mortar traders, the contract has continued on a month-to-month basis since 2017 and has recently dwindled to just two regular stallholders.
Now, the council said they are operating in "direct competition" with nearby businesses.
"The Newcastle Business Improvement Association wrote to City of Newcastle in 2023, indicating they do not support the continuation of the markets, as they have had a negative impact on the trade of the existing established businesses," a council spokesman said.
With the next stages of the East End Village works looming, the space used by stallholders will no longer be available.
The council spokesman said the market operator and stallholders were told about the changes in 2023, and the council is now preparing to issue a formal notice.
The council has committed $6.5 million to renewal works in the precinct in its 2025-26 budget, including new footpaths, tree planting, road resurfacing and stormwater and water infrastructure replacements.
Stage 5 of the East End Public Domain Plan has been funded for detailed design.
Labor councillor Declan Clausen said he is optimistic about the changes coming to the mall.
"At the moment, there is a billion dollars worth of private capital currently being invested into the mall, and it is creating a better environment than what was there previously," he said.
"But it is disruptive, that's fair to say, and it has had an impact on some of the existing traders in the mall, as well as a result of the vacancies that have been necessary as demolition and construction work have continued."
Cr Clausen said the process has been a "little clunky" but praised the businesses that have kept trading.
"What I fear as a council is that when we talk negatively ... or point out some of these issues, the consequence of that is that it could turn away people and customers that would otherwise wish to visit that precinct," he said.
Future changes to Hunter Street will include upgrades on Laing Street, Market Street and the potential for a Melbourne lane-way style development by closing Keightley Street to traffic.
MARKET stall holders will get the boot and parking will be limited to one hour in part of the Hunter Street Mall as Newcastle council works to bolster local businesses.
The state of the mall came under the microscope at a council meeting this week after residents raised concerns with graffiti, lighting, road signage and disability access earlier this year.
Independent councillor Peter Gittins said a number of those issues had been addressed, but graffiti was still a big problem.
"The point that I would like to stress, and stress strongly, is the graffiti plague that is absolutely and totally evident in this city," he said.
"Not only in the area between Newcomen and Thorne streets, but along Hunter Street in particular."
Business Improvement Associations have funding available for beautification, and the City of Newcastle has undertaken public domain works as part of its East End Village project, aimed at reinstating Hunter Street as a traditional high street.
The original motion to the council suggested working with businesses to remove graffiti or install public art; reviewing parking arrangements in the mall to support an additional 30-minute unpaid parking period, and asking council staff to scope a time-bound CCTV trial to address antisocial behaviour.
What was approved largely acknowledged the work already under way.
The council has been reviewing CBD parking since July 2024.
A City of Newcastle spokesman confirmed that two-hour paid parking between Brown and Wolfe streets will drop to a one-hour limit.
"This will ensure parking spaces turn over more regularly to support local businesses during planned construction works on the East End Village project," he said.
In 2009, the council signed a contract with Sydney-based Chourlartons Australia, trading as Organic Food Markets, to operate markets in the mall.
Initially designed to complement brick-and-mortar traders, the contract has continued on a month-to-month basis since 2017 and has recently dwindled to just two regular stallholders.
Now, the council said they are operating in "direct competition" with nearby businesses.
"The Newcastle Business Improvement Association wrote to City of Newcastle in 2023, indicating they do not support the continuation of the markets, as they have had a negative impact on the trade of the existing established businesses," a council spokesman said.
With the next stages of the East End Village works looming, the space used by stallholders will no longer be available.
The council spokesman said the market operator and stallholders were told about the changes in 2023, and the council is now preparing to issue a formal notice.
The council has committed $6.5 million to renewal works in the precinct in its 2025-26 budget, including new footpaths, tree planting, road resurfacing and stormwater and water infrastructure replacements.
Stage 5 of the East End Public Domain Plan has been funded for detailed design.
Labor councillor Declan Clausen said he is optimistic about the changes coming to the mall.
"At the moment, there is a billion dollars worth of private capital currently being invested into the mall, and it is creating a better environment than what was there previously," he said.
"But it is disruptive, that's fair to say, and it has had an impact on some of the existing traders in the mall, as well as a result of the vacancies that have been necessary as demolition and construction work have continued."
Cr Clausen said the process has been a "little clunky" but praised the businesses that have kept trading.
"What I fear as a council is that when we talk negatively ... or point out some of these issues, the consequence of that is that it could turn away people and customers that would otherwise wish to visit that precinct," he said.
Future changes to Hunter Street will include upgrades on Laing Street, Market Street and the potential for a Melbourne lane-way style development by closing Keightley Street to traffic.
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