Property Council report says CBDs in need of a makeover for revival

City centres are in need of a major shake-up if they are to drag commuters back to offices and shoppers back to their famed retail strips.

Luring shoppers back to famed strips such as Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall will require ideas such as free public transport and parking. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

City centres will need to reinvest themselves to drag reluctant workers back into their offices and shoppers back to famed strips like Sydney’s Pitt Street Mall and Melbourne’s Bourke Street Mall.

This could involve major shake-ups for commuters and currently home-bound workers as once radical ideas like free public transport and parking gain currency.

This could be offered to lure workers into their offices on slow days, such as Mondays and Fridays, according to a report by the Property Council and services firm EY.

Events that activate now downtrodden streets and laneways with new late-night shopping days or night-time markets, especially on weeknights, will be required.

To combat a wave of business troubles at the smaller end, they suggest that governments and landlords work together to fill empty floor space with pop-up shops and events that add ­vibrancy.

They also suggest that the burst of pandemic-busting transportation, including cycling, walking, e-bikes or scooters, be further ­expanded in major cities.

EY Oceania real estate, hospitality and construction managing partner Selina Short said Australia’s success in handling the pandemic could set the nation’s CBDs up for long-term success.

“Australia is in an enviable position. We are among the first in the world to restart our CBD engines. This gives us an unrivalled opportunity to write the global playbook for CBD revival, and to become a best practice hub for the world,” Ms Short said.

Property Council chief executive Ken Morrison said the report was a blueprint for government, business and property owners to re-energise CBDs following the pandemic.

“Our CBDs have been the ­nation’s productivity powerhouses for decades, but have been sorely challenged by COVID-19 shutdowns. It’s important for everyone that CBDs are able to reclaim this economic mantle,” Mr Morrison said.

“As more workers return to CBD workplaces, it’s important to supercharge the revival of our CBDs to underpin economic recovery. This report provides the ideas that will be central to this task.”

The report by the pair finds a longer-term faith in cities exists, with 82 per cent of respondents confident their nearest CBD will continue to evolve and have more green spaces for relaxation.

But the attraction of part-time work at home remains, with the report revealing that 70 per cent of CBD workers would like to continue working flexibly at least some of the week, with 3.3 days in the office the preference.

About 70 per cent of CBD ­office workers expect that they will continue to work from home at least part of the week post-pandemic.

But workers surveyed said the top aspects of going into the office were social interaction, better collaboration and a greater separation of work and home life.

Younger people were most likely to place importance in a CBD location for work, partly for the excitement but also as older workers dealt with family responsibilities.

In keeping with the focus on newer buildings holding tenants, three-quarters of respondents also said that employer premises and amenities were an important factor when choosing their next job.