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A Business Activation Plan for Lismore and Nimbin

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Photo of one of Lismore's laneways


Business Activation Plan - update

Lismore City Council recognises important opportunities to renew Lismore and Nimbin as dynamic and flourishing business centres, celebrating our local community and enticing people here to the heart of the Northern Rivers.

Our Economic Development Team has developed the new Business Activation Plan working with business community stakeholders and this is now available on Council's web site here.

You can now see the first snapshot from the Business Activation Plan in the documents provided on this page. This January 2022 Snapshot shares highlights, challenges and learnings from activation efforts to date.

We appreciate all community engagement in putting forward ideas and concerns for revitalising and promoting the business centres of Lismore and Nimbin. Your involvement has informed the development of the Plan, and we are mindful of ongoing impacts of COVID-19, flood and bushfires, along with considerable social and economic changes that now drive growth and pressures across the region.

If you would like to find out more about the Business Activation Plan or how you can be involved, get in touch with Kathryn Gray, CBD Activation Officer on 02 6625 0500 or kathryn.gray@lismore.nsw.gov.au

About the Business Activation Plan

With the Business Activation Plan, we seek to enhance shared spaces and experiences in Lismore and Nimbin town centres, and to boost promotions and support opportunities that benefit local business, events and community members.

Guiding Special Business Rate Variation Levy expenditure in Lismore until June 2023, the Business Activation Plan also seeks to identify new funding and partnership opportunities for Nimbin and larger-scale activation projects. You can access the Plan here

Key Business Activation Plan documents currently include:



We will continue to share updates, outcomes and opportunities as the Plan progresses.

If you require assistance to engage in this consultation due to accessibility, language, cultural or other barriers, please phone the Community Engagement team on (02) 6625 0500 and we will assist you to have your say.


Business Activation Plan - update

Lismore City Council recognises important opportunities to renew Lismore and Nimbin as dynamic and flourishing business centres, celebrating our local community and enticing people here to the heart of the Northern Rivers.

Our Economic Development Team has developed the new Business Activation Plan working with business community stakeholders and this is now available on Council's web site here.

You can now see the first snapshot from the Business Activation Plan in the documents provided on this page. This January 2022 Snapshot shares highlights, challenges and learnings from activation efforts to date.

We appreciate all community engagement in putting forward ideas and concerns for revitalising and promoting the business centres of Lismore and Nimbin. Your involvement has informed the development of the Plan, and we are mindful of ongoing impacts of COVID-19, flood and bushfires, along with considerable social and economic changes that now drive growth and pressures across the region.

If you would like to find out more about the Business Activation Plan or how you can be involved, get in touch with Kathryn Gray, CBD Activation Officer on 02 6625 0500 or kathryn.gray@lismore.nsw.gov.au

About the Business Activation Plan

With the Business Activation Plan, we seek to enhance shared spaces and experiences in Lismore and Nimbin town centres, and to boost promotions and support opportunities that benefit local business, events and community members.

Guiding Special Business Rate Variation Levy expenditure in Lismore until June 2023, the Business Activation Plan also seeks to identify new funding and partnership opportunities for Nimbin and larger-scale activation projects. You can access the Plan here

Key Business Activation Plan documents currently include:



We will continue to share updates, outcomes and opportunities as the Plan progresses.

If you require assistance to engage in this consultation due to accessibility, language, cultural or other barriers, please phone the Community Engagement team on (02) 6625 0500 and we will assist you to have your say.

  • January 2022 - update

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    The new Business Activation Plan - January 2022 Snapshot is now available in the documents panel. The Snapshot shares highlights, challenges and learnings from activation efforts to date.

  • Background & History - BAP

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    What is the Business Activation Plan and what has happened so far in the development process?

    The new Business Activation Plan will guide how Special Business Rate Variation Levy funds are spent in the Lismore CBD, and identify grant opportunities to support Nimbin initiatives.

    It will map out short, medium and long-term priorities, with targeted initiatives for the Economic Development Team to deliver until the end of June 2023.

    High-level representatives from the Lismore and Nimbin business communities have been brought together to establish the Business Activation Working Group to consider feedback, review and provide input to the plan and processes. The Group is made up of representatives from the Lismore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nimbin Chamber of Commerce, Lismore Square, Regional Development Australia-Northern Rivers, and with the Mayor, Clr Vanessa Ekins representing Council along with Economic Development and Strategic Planning staff.

    We delivered stakeholder workshops during April 2021. We also sought feedback via the "Places" and "Ideas" tools on Your Say Lismore. An explanation of these activities is below.

    We asked you to go to the "Places" tab to answer the following questions and put a pin on the map that tells us:

    • What 5 places of interest would you recommend to a visitor? What would they be and why?
    • Where do you see the most significant new opportunities and/or room for improvement?

    We asked you to go to the "Event Ideas" tab to submit your ideas about the following:

    • What 5 events would you like to go to in your local town centre? Which would they be and why?
    • What key opportunities do you see here for new activities, improvements for existing events, and/or for businesses making the most of events?
    • If you own or are involved in running a local business, what key support do you value or would you value from Lismore City Council and why?

    We asked you to go to the "Action Ideas" tab to:

    • Rank the "action" ideas from 1 to 10, and tell us what key outcomes and longer-term legacy you would like to see.

  • Update: 1 June 2021

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    The Business Activation Plan is being finalised with the Working Group and Council stakeholders. We now anticipate the Plan will be ready to announce in July, and are working to prepare for implementation as soon as possible. Please contact Kathryn Gray to find out more.

  • April 2021 workshops

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    We are bringing together representatives of our business community from Lismore and Nimbin as we build a new Business Activation Plan.

    Lismore and Nimbin business centres are critical to the economic success of our region. Recently, our businesses have experienced the challenges of flooding, bush fires, and changes made due to COVID-19 restrictions.

    To inform planning for the re-activation of our centres, we are running a workshop in Lismore and a workshop in Nimbin. Registrations are essential for the workshops:

    • Lismore - Thursday 15 April, 6-8.30pm at the Lismore Workers Club
    • Nimbin - Friday 16 April, 12.30-3pm at the Nimbin Community Centre.

    We look forward to hearing from business and property owners, Lismore CBD residents and workers and community members frequenting the Lismore CBD and Nimbin.

    Your input at these workshops will help shape the development of the Business Activation Plan.

Page last updated: 12 Oct 2023, 01:23 PM