Regional Place Activation Program

About the program

The Regional Place Activation Program aims to help local small businesses evolve and cultivate more vibrant and active precincts.

It is a collaboration between Small Business Friendly Program members and property owners to offer local creative small businesses and entrepreneurs rent free access to vacant commercial spaces in main streets and town centres.

Councils with a population of less than 50,000, who are members of the SBF Program were invited to apply to participate in this program.

Participating councils

The councils selected for the cohort 1 are:

Cassowary Coast Regional Council
Hinchinbrook Shire Council
Livingstone Shire Council
Mount Isa City Council

The councils selected for the cohort 2 are:

Banana Shire Council
Barcaldine Regional Council
Charters Towers Regional Council
Douglas Shire Council
Isaac Regional Council
Winton Shire Council

Benefits for small businesses

The program supports emerging businesses to trial an idea in a bricks and mortar location.
It offers local creative small businesses and entrepreneurs rent free access to vacant commercial spaces in main streets and town centres.
A ‘creative’ is anyone who makes or creates their own wares or intellectual property such as artists, designers, performers and more.
The program is also open to social enterprises and community groups providing services to their communities.

Benefits for landlords

Activating vacant commercial property highlights the potential of the space to new long-term tenants.
This can help drive interest in the property and the broader area helping you find a long-term tenant.
The program’s insurance policy covers public liability and broken glass while relevant utility costs are covered by the participating small businesses.
While the participating business occupies the property, it remains on the market and a ‘For Lease’ sign stays in the window, reduce the risk of vandalism.
As the space is occupied, it can reduce the risk of vandalism and may lower insurance costs.

Next steps

Creative Queensland Small businesses can lodge an expression of interest (EOI) to participate in their local council’s Renew Project while the project is active:

Cohort 1 councils opened their EOI on Monday 23 September 2024.
Cohort 2 councils opened their EOI on Monday 2 December 2024.

Participating councils are negotiating with local property owners/managers to secure vacant commercial spaces for selected Queensland creative small businesses to trial an existing or new business idea, rent-free on a rolling 30-day basis.

Selected creative Queensland small businesses are matched with a suitable vacant commercial space as they are secured. Once a license agreement between the property owner/manager and the business is signed, the business can commence trading in the space.

Find out more...

If you are interested in this exciting program and want to learn more or submit an Expression of interest, visit the QSBC Regional Place Activation Program page on the Renew Australia website.

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