Background

The display of goods on the footpath is when businesses places products on the public footpath outside their shop for sale, aiming to attract customers and activate the street.

Waverley does not currently have a policy or process for allowing new goods displays. Council is introducing this new policy to allow businesses to utilise the footpath outside their premises for the display of goods if they meet certain criteria.

The Draft Display of Goods on the Footpath Policy & Guidelines provides user-friendly and accessible guidance, suited to the needs of our local business community. The Draft Policy set outs application requirements, criteria for approval, and conditions for operating a goods display.

A previous version of the Draft Policy was placed on public exhibition between September and October 2025, which proposed to enact the policy through the Waverley Local Environmental Plan 2012. It has since been identified that enacting the policy under the Local Government Act 1993 and the Roads Act 1993 instead is more consistent with how other Council policies are enacted, so is now being re-exhibited on this basis. This does not impact how the Draft Policy will work for businesses. Any feedback submitted in response to the previous exhibition will be considered when finalising the Draft Policy now.

Policy Summary

The Draft Policy is made up of three sections, summarised below:

To be eligible to apply for a goods display, you must be the owner or operator of a lawfully established shop or business adjacent to the footpath.

You will need:

  1. Site plan - showing the property location in relation to the street.
  2. Footpath display area plan - showing the proposed location and dimensions of the footpath display.
  3. Furniture details - a photo, brochure, or manufacturer’s details of the goods display.

These documents can then be submitted via an online application form.

The key design requirements for displays include:

Location

  • Displays must maintain at least a 2-metre width of clear, unobstructed footpath to allow for pedestrians to pass.
  • Displays must maintain set clearances from street furniture, driveways, landscaping, and other footpath features.
  • Displays must be located against the shop front. Alternative locations will be considered on merit in certain circumstances.

Furniture

  • Furniture used to display goods must be safe, strong, durable, high-quality, waterproof and purpose-built.
  • All displays and must be well maintained, clean and free of clutter.
  • Minimum and maximum dimensions for goods displays are contained within the policy.
  • It is the business operator’s responsibility to ensure the policy is being complied with when displaying goods on the footpath. Council reserves the right to issue removal notices and fines when these conditions are breached.
  • Incidents of non-compliance are noted on the operators file and will be taken into consideration by Council when requesting to vary or renew their permit.
  • Details on the hours of operation, appropriate uses, and full conditions of approval are contained in the policy.

To review the Draft Policy in full, see the Draft Display of Goods on the Footpath Policy & Guidelines in the 'Document Library'

How to submit feedback

Please submit your feedback on the Draft Display of Goods on the Footpath Policy & Guidelines through one of the following methods:

Feedback closes at 11.59pm, Monday 4 May 2026.

Please note that the comments submitted will form part of Council’s public record and as such can be made available for public viewing on request.

For more information, please contact Leonardo Shaw-Voysey, Senior Strategic Town Planner, through Council’s Customer Service on 9083 8000, or via email at strategictownplanning@waverley.nsw.gov.au