First look: Major plans to shake up Kyogle CBD in effort to bring youth to region

Laneways, angle parking and new developments are being considered as part of a “revitalisation” of this village’s CBD, in an effort to retain youths and encourage more tourism.

Some of the draft looks at the Kyogle revitalisation. /Credit: Kyogle Council

One Northern Rivers council has revealed a major revitalisation planned for the heart of its CBD as it tries to woo more young people into the region.

Kyogle Council is seeking community feedback for its substantial landscaping proposal for the Kyogle town centre.

The project includes a myriad of streetscape changes designed to “retain and attract more young residents to Kyogle, and to increase tourism visitation within the region.”

Major suggestions included reducing traffic to 40 km/hr through the CBD, reimagining the space outside Kyogle Council/civic square as an entertainment space, and removing existing centre median and parallel parking in favour of 45 degree angle parking.

Some of the highlighted proposed changes for the Kyogle CBD/ Credit: Kyogle Council

Laneways and activity nodes were also flouted as ways to encourage activity into the area and create “mixed-space” development.

Most notably, this could also solve Kyogle’s current housing woes, as the report highlighted.

“This will help to support existing businesses and encourage the establishment of more small-scale businesses (such as artisans and crafts persons),” it read.

“Further to this, Council and the community are eager to activate the town centre both day and night.

One of the solutions being considered is the potential for the council to allow new development outcomes on vacant land parcels within the town centre that focus on providing alternative living accommodation and mixed use options.

“Development of this nature typically involves ground floor uses that are active (such as cafes or business shopfronts) with residential living space above.

“When situated within the heart of town, this enables residents to recreate and work within walking distance of home, hence activating streets day and night.”

The current Kyogle CBD/ Credit: Kyogle Council

A final concept design and detailed designed will be presented following community feedback.

The project follows a prior Kyogle Aquatic centre upgrade in 2018 and Kyogle library outdoor expansion in 2020.

Submissions can be made until June 11, 4pm at [e-mail] or sent to PO Box 11, Kyogle, NSW, 2474.