The number of registered businesses in the Launceston municipality has grown 7.2% in the last financial year – from 5,607 to 6,008 – according to the City of Launceston Council’s latest State of the City report.
The Report examines local, state and federal government data, as well as from other sources, to understand trends in Launceston across a range of sectors.
Launceston Mayor, Matthew Garwood said the report was a valuable tool for business owners, investors, students and anyone with an interest in data about the municipality.
“This is the third year we’ve produced the annual State of the City report, and we try to add interesting new data from a range of sources each year,” Mayor Garwood said.
The new report includes four interactive maps exploring parks and recreation, health and demographics, flood risk and business activity.
The biggest growth business areas were Construction (107 new businesses), Transport, Postal and Warehousing (61 new businesses) and Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services (48 new businesses).
A new Business Activity Survey conducted by Launceston Central and the Council shows 1,053 businesses are currently trading in the city’s central activities district, equating to an occupancy rate of 91%.
The new survey is the most comprehensive ever undertaken in Launceston and covers a total of 1,177 businesses – nearly twice the number included in previous surveys.
The survey shows only 31 ground level premises in the city centre are currently empty, while a further 13 ground level premises are currently renovating, and a further 13 are being advertised for lease.
Within Launceston’s central activities district, the Report found there are 131 cafes and restaurants, 82 hairdressing and beauty businesses, 76 medical and health care service providers, 94 businesses providing professional, scientific or technical services, as well as a host of other business and service provision categories.
In the last financial year, motorists took advantage free parking on offer in the Council’s multi-storey car parks each day between 3.30pm and 5.30pm, with 65,060 vehicles parking between these times.
“This year we’ve added data on how the Council’s 22kW and 7kW electric vehicle chargers are being utilised across the municipality, showing a steep increase from approximately 250 charges each year in 2019 to 1169 charges in the past financial year,” said Mayor Garwood.
“We also know that nearly a third of motorists who use our chargers are Launceston residents, approximately half are from other parts of Tasmania and nearly 20% are visiting from interstate.
“The State of the City report is available online for anyone who is interested in taking a deep dive into what makes our city tick, and I encourage everyone to check it out,” he said.
View the City of Launceston’s State of the City report here.
