A core approach in the development of the Hunter St Revitalisation Master Plan Final Strategic Framework has been to identify a community inspired vision for a revitalised Hunter St and to ensure that the priorities and ideas of the community are recognised as major drivers of change and renewal.

The adopted HSRM Final Strategic Framework has had numerous sources of community and stakeholder input to guide decision making to date. These include accessing and participating in the Newcastle 2030 process which is seeking to establish a long term vision for the City of Newcastle as well undertaking several Hunter St specific community engagement processes delivered through the Hunter Valley Research Foundation and the award winning Council Newcastle Voice.

The Newcastle community is helping to shape the future of Hunter St

The adopted HSRM Final Strategic Framework contains a summary of the community engagement process undertaken by Council to ensure that the future of Hunter St is shaped by the community that uses it.

Summary of the community engagement processes as set out in the HSRM Final Strategic Framework (1.86mb) 

More images from the Community Workshop held on 24 November 2011:

What the community thinks will be effective in revitalising Hunter St. 

The first Newcastle Voice Hunter St Survey identified a wide range of community generated to revitalise Hunter St.  These ideas were collected and summarised under 4 key theme areas namely Enterprise, Integrated Transport,  People and Place and Greenways.  These ideas were then tested with the community through a second Newcastle Voice Survey to gauge public perceptions about how effective these ideas would be to revitalise Hunter St.

Download how effective the community thinks different ideas to revitalise Hunter St will have if implemented: 

What the community says- Enterprise  (673kb)

What the community says- Greenways (428kb)

What the community says- Integrated transport (649kb)

What the community says- People and Place (444kb)

Download the Newcastle Voice Hunter St Stage 2 Survey results:

Newcastle Voice Hunter Street Stage 2 Report (November 2010) 2.0Mb

Newcastle Voice Hunter Street Stage 2 Appendixes (November 2010) 2.1Mb 

Newcastle 2030

Newcastle 2030 is a community engagement process that has been facilitated by the City of Newcastle to develop a long term vision incorporating the development of a 10 year Community Strategic Plan for the Newcastle Local Government area.

• Community engagement processes have included:
• Community workshops
• Community forum
• Focus groups with primary, high school and University students
• Telephone survey
• On line discussions
• Completed post card returns

The community engagement processes have identified 7 strategic directions that form the vision for Newcastle 2030:

Connected City – our transport networks and services are well connected and convenient. Walking cycling and public transport are viable options for majority of our trips

Protected and Enhanced Environment – our unique environment is understood, maintained and protected

Vibrant and Activated Public Places – we are a city of great public places and neighbourhoods that promote peoples health, happiness and well being

Caring and Inclusive Community – we are a thriving community where diversity is embraced, everyone is valued and has an opportunity to contribute and belong

Liveable and Distinct Environment – an attractive city that is built around people and reflects our sense of identity

Smart and Innovative City – a leader in smart innovations with a healthy diverse and resilient economy

Open and Collaborative Leadership – a strong local democracy with an actively engaged community and effective partnerships

These key directions have been used to help inform the development of a community inspired vision for the revitalisation of Hunter St.

Find out more about the Newcastle 2030 process.

Hunter St Specific Community Engagement

While the Newcastle 2030 strategic directions provide a broad overarching future vision for Newcastle LGA it was essential to drill down to identify the specific community values, priorities and revitalisation ideas at the micro scale of Hunter St itself.

A number of Hunter St specific community engagement and review processes have been completed. These include:

HSRM – Craft the Vision – Pedestrian Intercept and Small Business Survey May 2010 Hunter Valley Research Foundation

The Hunter Valley Research Foundation undertook 480 intercept surveys of pedestrians along Hunter St between Pacific St and Stewart Avenue as well as conducting face to face interviews with 120 small business operators. These surveys were designed to obtain a comprehensive set of values, issues, priorities and ideas from the every day users of Hunter St.

HSRM – Craft the Vision – Summary of Previous Community Consultation May 2010 Hunter Valley Research Foundation

The Hunter Valley Research Foundation analysed the outcomes of a range of previous community consultation outcomes relating to the urban development of Newcastle city centre. Documentation reviewed included:

• Newcastle CBD Taskforce Workshops (2008)
• Newcastle City Centre Plan Workshops (2007)
• Newcastle City Centre Renewal, Report to NSW Government (2009)
• Newcastle Community Safety Survey (2009)
• Community Plan 2006 - 2010
• Regional Strategy Update Report 2009

HSRM – Newcastle Voice – 2010 Hunter St Stage 1 Survey

Councils Newcastle Voice prepared and distributed a Hunter St specific survey to its panel members. 916 responses were received and over 4000 individual comments were generated about the issues and opportunities associated with the revitalisation of Hunter St.

Some community priorities and ideas for revitalising Hunter St

There was a strong consistency in results between the different surveys undertaken when the community was asked to identify the tops priorities for Council to focus on in order to deliver the revitalisation of Hunter St:

The top five responses were typically:

• Encourage shops and businesses
• Improve the appearance of the street
• Improve vehicle access and car parking
• Encourage people to live in Hunter St
• Improve public safety

A large number of ideas for revitalising Hunter St were identified through the community engagement processes relating to these priorities and others of lesser priority.

A summary of the ideas consistently identified to revitalise Hunter St includes:

• Develop Hunter St as a point of difference destination from competing suburban centres by creating a series of unique functional and public domain precincts
• Provide financial incentives and streamline development approval processes to encourage more private investment and business activity
• Increase the amount of residential development and consider the incorporation of student accommodation that will foster street activation, cultural diversity and support demand for local businesses and services
• Improve the connectivity of Hunter St to surrounding nodes of economic vitality such as Marketown and the Honeysuckle precinct as well as to adjacent coastline and harbour side destinations
• Reduce vehicular priority along Hunter St to create opportunities for wider footpaths, outdoor dining, separated cycleway and landscaping
• Improve the appearance of the street with new pavement surfaces, street furniture, banners, street trees and green spaces
• Improve the public transport experience by upgrading the bus stops and or incorporating Hunter St as part of a light rail or tram system servicing the city centre
• Retain kerbside parking convenience while making regulatory arrangements and restrictions more equitable and flexible
• Value heritage buildings and make them activators for Hunter St
• Diversify the night time economy to become a “whole of family” experience and to help address community safety issues.

Have your say

Join in the conversation about the future of Hunter Street on our online discussion forum.