Acland Street Precinct

Community profile

• Who lives here

  City of Port Phillip is enriched by the presence of people from diverse cultural backgrounds. We are home to people from over 163 different birthplaces, with our residents speaking 114 different, languages. This diversity is one of our greatest strengths.

  Population (source: economy.id, 2023)

  City of Port Phillip: 109,515

  St Kilda: 21,627

  More than half (56.7 per cent) of St Kilda residents are between 25 and 49 years of age.

• Birthplace

  In 2021, 36.9 percent of people in St Kilda were born overseas, compared with 33.1 percent in Port Phillip.

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  Birthplace - Ranked by size (top 10)
  St Kilda - Overseas born (Usual residence)	2021			2016			Change
  Birthplace	Number	%	City of Port Phillip %	Number	%	City of Port Phillip %	2016 to 2021
  United Kingdom	1,333	6.8	6.0	1,253	6.1	5.9	+79
  New Zealand	633	3.3	2.6	775	3.8	3.0	-143
  Ireland	484	2.5	1.4	361	1.8	1.2	+123
  India	466	2.4	2.1	430	2.1	2.0	+36
  United States of America	250	1.3	1.2	245	1.2	1.1	+5
  Colombia	223	1.1	0.8	83	0.4	0.4	+140
  China	206	1.1	1.6	300	1.5	1.8	-94
  France	194	1.0	0.7	182	0.9	0.6	+11
  Italy	187	1.0	0.8	222	1.1	0.8	-35
  Germany	173	0.9	0.7	157	0.8	0.7	+16

• Employment and income

  According to 2021 Census data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics:

  • Of the total labour force in Port Phillip, 95.5 per cent of residents were employed, with 63.3 per cent working full-time and 26.6 per cent working part-time.
  • In terms of individual income quartiles, 15.5 per cent of residents were in the lowest group, 17.1 per cent were in the medium lowest, 23.6 per cent were in the medium highest, and 43.8 per cent were in the highest.
  • In terms of household income quartiles, 19.6 per cent were in the lowest group, 22.5 per cent were in the medium lowest, 24.7 per cent were in the medium highest and 33.2 per cent were in the highest.

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Retail analysis

• Occupancy

  Acland Street is home to approximately 100 ground-floor premises and like many other retail strips saw a rise in the number of vacant shops due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  In response, a range of Council initiatives have been implemented, contributing to a decrease in the vacancy rate for the street from 17 per cent in 2022/23 to 11.5 per cent in 2023/24.

  Actions undertaken by Council to support the Acland Street precinct include:

  • Developing a Great Places and Precincts program
  • Markets, events and festivals
  • Vacant shop activation program
  • Creation of a live music precinct through implementation of the St Kilda Live Music Precinct Policy endorsed by Council in 2023
  • Introduction of a higher differential rate on vacant properties
  • Improvements to streetscape and creative lighting
  • Ongoing promotion and marketing
  • Graffiti mitigation

• Customer spend

  The below table shows spend going to businesses in the Acland Street precinct by key categories and year-on-year change from 2022/23 to 2023/24 (source: Council iQ)

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• Community feedback

  An engagement program was conducted in November 2023, inviting the community to share their thoughts on current and future shopping behaviour in the Acland Street. Some of the key findings from the 257 community members who participated include:

  • 76% of participants visit the precinct at least once a week or more.
  • The most popular reasons for visiting the precinct were:
  • shopping (70%)
  • eating/drinking at restaurants or cafes (68%)
  • visiting the precinct for socialising (32%)

  • Business types most visited in the past 12 months were:
  • supermarket/grocery (76%)
  • restaurant (66%)
  • café (63%)
  • pharmacy (61%)
  • bar (51%).

  • Of the 257 participants, the highest number of responses for business types they would shop at if they were available in the precinct in the future were:
  • café (151),
  • clothing store (148)
  • bakery (145)
  • restaurant (143)
  • supermarket/grocery (129)
  • bar (121)
  • post office, entertainment retail, florist and pharmacy all rated 92 to 97 responses
  • liquor store (87)
  • sport and activity retail (70)
  • hairdressing and beauty (66)
  • jewellery store (60)

  • Further analysis comparing current demand to future projected shopping patterns shows an increase from:
    • 9 to 70 responses for sport and activity retail
    • 34 to 94 for entertainment retail
    • 25 to 60 for jewellery store
    • 46 to 93 for florist.

  • An increase in diversity of business types was suggested by 220 participants.

• Catchment area supply

  The Acland Street catchment area is defined as 20-minute walking neighbourhood. Theoretical supply and demand analysis by propella.ai for the catchment area indicates:

  Potential oversupply of category in catchment area	Potential undersupply of category in catchment area
  Cafe	Restaurant
  Bar	Supermarket and grocery
  Bakery	Clothing store
  Liquor outlet	Jewellery store
  Convenience store	Department store
  Footwear store	Travel agency
  Hairdressing and beauty	Veterinary clinic
  Florist
  Entertainment retail
  Pet store
  Accommodation
  Laundry & dry cleaning
  Health & wellness (pharmacy, dental, optometry, health & fitness centre, allied health services, physiotherapy & osteopathy, medical services, pathology and diagnosis)

• Target markets

  The following target markets have been identified by Council based on retail analysis conducted by consultancy firm Propella.ai in 2023:

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• Retail tenant mix

  The following retail tenant mix has been developed by Council based on retail analysis conducted by consultancy firm Propella.ai in 2023:

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Marketing and promotion

• What’s On St Kilda and Southside

  What's On St Kilda and Southside is City of Port Phillip's official guide to all the events and things to do in St Kilda and other neighbourhoods.

  The dedicated website and a newsletter are designed to give visitors the southside lowdown, and locals, a chance to also discover something new and exciting. Content is regularly posted on the What’s On Facebook and Instagram channels.

  Council also delivers a major summer and winter marketing campaign promoted through outdoor billboards, media partnerships, social media and street furniture such as bus shelters.

  [Insert St Kilda What's On logo]]

• Acland Street Village Business Association

  The Acland Street Village Business Association has a consumer facing website, is active on social media and runs many successful events, including Acland Street Father’s Day Car and Bike Show, Mother’s Day Trail and Pet Fest

  The Association has a 5-year strategic business plan which includes an annual marketing plan for 2024-29.

  [insert ASVBA logo]

We are here to support you

• Information and resources

  The City of Port Phillip provides a range of information and resources you need to start, buy or grow a business in our City. From fact sheets and guidelines to an interactive permit finder tool, we have the information and resources to take the next steps in your business journey.

• Business Concierge Service

  Whether you’re new to business or have done this before, our dedicated business concierge service is here to answer any questions or connect you with the team who can work with you to get your business open as quickly as possible.

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• Local business network

  Business support and development is also available from the Acland Street Village Business Association, an independent, incorporated body representing approximately 300 business owners and operators. The Association serves as a collective voice for businesses and delivers marketing, promotion, business development and centre management of the Acland Street precinct.

Transport and parking

• Public transport

  Acland Street and St Kilda are easily accessed by regular public transport services and bicycle routes. Within a 5-minute walk there is ample parking in Council and privately managed carparks, as well as plenty of on-street parking.

  Tram routes: 3a, 12, 16 and 96 to be checked

  Bus routes: 246, 600, 606 and 623 to be checked

  [insert PT and Bicycle access jpgx2]

• Parking

  Within a 5-minute walk there is ample parking in Council and privately managed carparks, as well as plenty of on-street parking.

  [insert Carparks jpg]

  Interactive transport map to be developed

• Test

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