Wagga, what do you want? Public called on to guide major new CBD plan

Wagga City Council is preparing the master plan to guide land-use and development across the central business district, creating opportunities for the council to revitalise, diversify, and enhance the CBD for the community.

Council's director of regional activation John Sidgwick said the master plan will aim to "create a vision for what our city could look like in the future".

"We have just commenced a consultation process on Monday March 4, which will run until April 26, where we are going out to the community to get their views about the CBD," Mr Sidgwick said.

He said this will include what people like and dislike about the CBD and what their future aspirations for it are.

"We're not going out with any specific recommendations or options at this stage. It's really just an opportunity for our community and local businesses to tell us what their view is," he said.

The plan will serve as a framework to develop a clear strategic plan and place-based approach for the future of the Wagga CBD.

It aims to support a vibrant, distinct, and people-focused central business district, ensuring that the CBD remains the thriving heart of our city.

The CBD Masterplan will also identify opportunities within the CBD to service population growth as we grow towards 100,000 residents, whilst also accommodating 1.4 million visitors annually, in a way that best supports the region more broadly.

Council will begin to gather feedback from the community, landholders, and business groups in the coming weeks, to better understand community aspirations and establish a meaningful vision for our CBD.

Mayor Dallas Tout said the community's input to the development of the CBD Masterplan is key to its success.

"This is a pivotal moment for Wagga's future, and we need your input to guide the development of our CBD," Cr Tout said.

"Your ideas will help us craft a CBD that reflects the growth and future of our city.

"I deeply encourage residents to participate in the process. We aim to capture and understand our community's aspirations and use this knowledge to position Wagga as a vibrant regional hub for generations to come."

The feedback obtained over the next two months will inform the development of a draft CBD Masterplan which will go up on public exhibition later this year.

Members of the public may provide feedback in a number of ways including via an online survey, in-person at the Civic Centre as well as by phone or email.

A series of pop-up information stalls will also be visiting various locations across the city and surrounding villages during the consultation period, to provide further opportunities for the public to speak with staff about the masterplan.

More information is available on the council website.