Condren to keep predecessor’s plan to axe footpath dining tax, wants new ‘taskforce’ for shopping strips

Labor’s Lord Mayor candidate Patrick Condren has revealed how he plans to revive Brisbane’s struggling high streets, but won’t reveal the cost of his ambitious plan.

LABOR’S lord mayoral candidate Patrick Condren has announced his administration would scrap the footpath dining tax, recycling his predecessor Rod Harding’s plans in a bid to revive Brisbane’s struggling high streets.

Mr Condren said he also wanted to create a new ‘suburban taskforce’ that will report a swath of recommendations dealing with parking and tree planting within 100 days.

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However, mayoral hopeful Patrick Condren refused to reveal the cost of the plan, insisting it would come from existing council resources.

The announcement comes after The Courier-Mail last year reported that Brisbane’s historic shopping strips were becoming ghost towns, with shops struggling with high rents and low foot traffic.

Paddington’s Latrobe and Given terraces were the worst off, with property searches revealing 75 retail spaces were for lease in December.

Empty shops are becoming a familiar sight along Given Tce in Paddington. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Condren said the removal of footpath dining laws, which can cost hundreds of dollars per square metre, would save small businesses millions of dollars.

“I’ve been talking to small business owners all over Brisbane and our plan will give them the support they need to flourish and thrive,” lord mayor hopeful Patrick Condren said.

“People want better access, more parking and more shade and that my suburban taskforce will investigate.”

Mr Condren said the new taskforce would provide recommendations for improvement works within the first 100 days of taking office if he wins the battle for city hall in March.

“Many of our unique suburban shopping villages suffer from a chronic lack of parking and poor walking and cycling access,” he said.

“The key to attracting people is to give them plenty of reasons to stick around or come back.”

Other priorities include more support for small businesses by expanding council’s Business hotline.

Mr Condren said the policy would aim to upgrade parking in shopping villages. Picture: Annette Dew

The promise to scrap footpath dining taxes is a carry-over from previous Labor lord mayor candidate Rod Harding, but Mr Condren described his policies as a “bigger suite.”

Under the current legislation for footpath dining, businesses pay $116.60 to apply for or renew a footpath dining permit.

Approved outdoor dining in Brisbane City must pay an annual $467.95 per square metre ‘occupation fee,’ while restaurants along prominent precincts like Racecourse Rd, Hamilton and Oxford St, Bulimba pay $223.80 per sqm annually.

Small businesses are granted a 50 per cent reduction on these fees for new applications and 10 per cent reduction for footpath dining renewals.

The LNP administration committed $500,000 in this year’s budget to a suburban renewal taskforce aimed at rejuvenating rundown precincts.