Permanent footpath extensions for outdoor dining

If your business currently runs an approved on-street dining area, we'll contact you as your site moves into design phase and construction. We'll notify before construction begins and work with you to help minimise impacts on trading wherever possible.

Permanent footpath extensions will replace temporary barriers and create a more integrated streetscape, while outdoor dining areas will continue to be managed through our approval process and outdoor dining guidelines.

Temporary structures

Operators are responsible for removing temporary platforms, timber decks and other privately installed structures before the permanent footpath extension is built. We’ll notify businesses before works begin.

Cost and permits

There’ll be no cost to businesses.

Once designs are finalised, businesses will need to renew their permit and gain approval to run in the new on-street dining area.

Ongoing use of the new site

Operators must store furniture inside when outdoor dining isn’t in use, line with our outdoor dining guidelines.

We recognise that construction activities can affect nearby businesses. We'll keep neighbouring businesses informed as designs are developed and before works begin.

Construction will be carefully planned to maintain access where possible and reduce disruption to customers, deliveries and day-to-day operations.

These works support safer, more attractive and more accessible streets. Residents will receive information about proposed works in their area, including timing, construction impacts and opportunities to stay informed as the project progresses.

We’re focused on improving areas already being used for on-street dining, helping create lively and welcoming neighbourhoods.

Many of these locations have operated as on-street dining spaces for several years, transforming kerbside space into places for people to gather, dine and socialise. Residents don’t rely on these parking spots and there are no plans to replace or offset the parking spaces.

We manage kerbside space to balance a range of community needs, including parking, loading, walking, cycling, greening and outdoor dining. Existing on-street dining sites have already been assessed and assigned reallocated parking space.

Creating safer and more accessible streets is a key goal of these works.

Permanent footpath extensions make streets easier to use for everyone. They remove many of the temporary features and level changes across current temporary on-street dining sites. All sites will keep a clear path for walking, and meet accessibility requirements and our outdoor dining guidelines.

We want to strike a balance between maintaining enough space for walking while encouraging people to gather. 

Our focus is on providing a more certain, unobstructed clear paths of travel. They’ll avoid existing elements such as Ausgrid pillars along the building line[RK14.1], and trees, bike parking and parking meters along kerb lines.

Dining along both sides of the clear path will only occur where there’s enough space for walking.

We’ll install boundary markers on footpaths to make guidelines easier to follow.