The City of Stirling’s Economic Development team is responsible for assisting with the development and growth of the City’s local economy, promoting tourism, supporting local businesses and encouraging new business activities.
The City's Economic and Tourism Development Strategy 2021 - 2025 pledges that the City will engage with businesses to assess their needs, concerns and requirements, and understand the training needs of local business and industry.
Initiatives
Accessible Stirling Awards
The Accessible Stirling Awards recognise businesses within the City who facilitate improved access and inclusion for their staff, customers and the community. Improving access and inclusion for your business can be as simple as providing larger print menus, to installing an automatic door opener.
The awards aim to encourage increased participation among people with disability, their families, friends, carers as well as seniors and parents with young children.
Footpath Trading and Activation Permit
The City aims to create more vibrant, interesting, liveable and walkable commercial centres by making it easier for footpath activation activities to happen.
Local Planning Policy 6.14 - Footpath Trading and Activation seeks to simplify the approval process for operating footpath activation areas by:
- Place activation activities (such as street trading and alfresco dining) will not need development (planning) approval if they meet certain requirements
- Identifying where place activation activities can be carried out on footpaths
- Providing clarification on what items are permitted on footpaths.
Local Planning Policy 6.14 encourages place activation which can contribute significantly to the economic success of an area.
Businesses can now apply for a Footpath Activation Permit through the below online form and if the activation area is in accordance with the policy, the City will issue the business with an activation permit which is valid for the life of the use of the activation area.
You can obtain a permit to operate your footpath activation area by using the below form and answering a few questions.
A permit is not required to place one “A” Frame sign on the footpath to support your business.
Small business-friendly local government
The City of Stirling is proud to join the small business-friendly local government (SBFLG) initiative, which has been introduced by the Small Business Development Corporation. Small to medium businesses are a vital component of Stirling's local economy, with over 20,000 small businesses working across all industries.
The City of Stirling is committed to supporting our local small business community by:
- Recognising them as an important stakeholder and consulting regularly
- Regularly meeting with, and consulting community members to improve our understanding of their needs, goals, key challenges and how they operate
- Providing clear service standards by setting out what we will do
- Giving clear advice and guidance on regulatory obligations
- Regularly reviewing our policies
- Taking reasonable action to limit unnecessary administrative burdens
- Ensuring prompt payment of invoices
- Providing networking and other development opportunities
- Managing disputes in a timely and cost-effective manner.
As part of the small business friendliness, the City will deliver three elected, flexible activities to help support our business community:
- Providing more small business information on our website
- Surveying local businesses for their needs
- Supporting business incubators or start-up spaces at the Stirling Business Centre.
