Green Square and
City South Village
Summary Report
2012
City of Sydney Floor Space and Employment Survey
City of Sydney
Town Hall House
456 Kent Street
Sydney NSW
2000
Green Square and City South Village
Introduction
The City of Sydney undertakes its comprehensive Floor Space and Employment Survey (FES) every
five years to coincide with the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Census of Population and Housing.
The latest FES is the second to encompass those areas amalgamated into the City of Sydney from
the former South Sydney and Leichhardt Councils in 2004, and allows the City of Sydney to
investigate and report on changes in workforce, businesses and floor space across Surveys.
The FES collects data on all businesses, floor space uses and employment numbers for every
building or property within the City of Sydney local government area (LGA). It provides a snapshot
of the built form, land uses and economic activity of the City of Sydney every five years. The field
data captured for the current Survey was undertaken during 2012.
The data collection phase of the FES involves field surveyors visiting every business in the City of
Sydney to determine what industry the business is in, how many workers are in each business, and
the floor space use of each business through visual inspection and the use of existing floor space.
Information for various capacity measures such as quantity of seating, parking, rooms and units are
also collected. Residential uses are only surveyed from the street and validated by checking
existing floor plans. The data is entered into a Geographic Information System (GIS) database to
allow 2- and 3-dimensional mapping, analysis and reporting.
The data is used by both internal and external stakeholders as a basis for strategic planning, policy
formulation, business development and forecasting.
The Green Square and City South Village is located in the southern part of the LGA, with boundaries
adjoining Botany Bay City Council and Randwick City Council. The area includes the suburbs of
Beaconsfield and Zetland and parts of Rosebery, Waterloo, Alexandria and St Peters. It is bounded
by Gardeners Road in the south, South Dowling
Street and Southern Cross Drive to the east and
Euston Road / Sydney Park in the west (see
Figure 1).
The Green Square and City South Village is
predominantly industrial with increasing pockets of
residential development.
The area includes
Alexandra Canal, Green Square train station, and
several major business and corporate parks. It
also includes the whole of the Green Square
Urban Renewal Area and the Green Square Town
Centre. Victoria Park is one of the newest major
residential developments, with the final sites
currently under construction.
The 2012 FES collected data from 2,524 sites in
the Village, including 2,102 business premises.
The total internal floor space surveyed was
4,428,047m², an increase of 4.3% from the
previous Survey.
A further 2,768,148m² of
external area (including parks, backyards,
balconies, pools etc.) were also included in the
data.
1 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Figure 1: Green Square and City South Village Location
Map
Figure 2 below shows the extent of the Green Square and City South Village, looking north.
Residential uses are shown in dark red, and are predominantly located on the eastern side of the
Village, whilst business uses are shown in light brown and are largely located in the central and
western sections of the Village. Vacant spaces are shown in blue.
Figure 2. The Green Square and City South Village looking north.
In 2006, the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Estimated Resident population (ERP) stated that
there were 14,803 residents living in Green Square and City South Village. By 2011, the ERP for
Green Square and City South Village had risen to 20,103, an increase of 35.8% over five years. The
proportion of the City of Sydney’s residents in Green Square and City South Village rose from 8.9%
in 2006 to 11.0% in 2011. It is estimated that Green Square and City South Village will
accommodate approximately 14.4% of the City of Sydney’s residents by 2016, and up to 20.0% by
2031.1
The Green Square and City South Village resident population was housed in 9,782 dwellings at the
time of the Survey. More than four-fifths of the dwelling stock was located in multi-storey apartment
blocks (82.7%), whilst a further 8.2% of the dwellings were separate houses. The remaining private
dwellings are either terraces or townhouses (7.6%) or other dwellings. There was a 28.5% increase
in the number of dwellings between the two Surveys. Current and future residential development will
continue through large multi-story apartment development, and occur largely in the eastern half of
the Village.2
1
City of Sydney Population Forecasts, Research performed by .id Consulting Pty Ltd. Available at:
http://forecast2.id.com.au/Default.aspx?id=148&pg=5000
2 City of Sydney, Residential Monitor December 2012. Available at:
http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/142514/Issue-no.-49-December2012.pdf
2 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Employment in the Green Square and City South Village increased by 11.6% between the Surveys,
from 25,043 in 2007 to 27,949 in 2012. The proportion of full-time employment decreased slightly
from 89.3% in 2007 down to 87.5% in 2012. Over the same period, the average number of workers
per business decreased from 14.1 to 13.3, however there was a significant increase in the number of
businesses that are located in the Village, with an additional 329 businesses counted, a growth of
18.6%.
The number of parking spaces in the Village increased by 12.4% overall between 2007 and 2012.
These were predominantly located in internal garages within new residential developments. The
percentage increase in internal parking is commensurate with the percentage increase in the
number of residential dwellings.
When looking at Visitor Accommodation in the Village, there had been a very small increase in the
number of hotel rooms between the Surveys, growing from 31 to 35. However a number of serviced
apartments were due to commence operation shortly after the Survey fieldwork was completed
The key totals for the 2007 and 2012 Surveys are shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1. Key Totals for Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
Category
2007
2012
Change
%
Change
General
Sites Surveyed
Buildings Surveyed
Businesses Surveyed
2,505
2,375
1,773
2,524
2,399
2,102
19
24
329
0.8%
1.0%
18.6%
4,245,954
2,626,914
6,872,868
4,428,047
2,768,148
7,196,195
182,093
141,234
323,327
4.3%
5.4%
4.7%
Employment
Full-time Employment
Part-time Employment
Total Employment
22,370
2,673
25,043
24,447
3,502
27,949
2,077
829
2,906
9.3%
31.0%
11.6%
Residential
Number of Dwellings
Buildings with Dwellings
Population
Occupancy Rate
7,614
1,558
14,803
1.94
9,782
1,596
20,103
2.06
2,168
38
5,300
-
28.5%
2.4%
35.8%
-
Tenant Parking
Internal Parking Spaces
External Parking Spaces
Total Parking Spaces
10,493
13,918
24,411
13,369
14,066
27,435
2,876
148
3,024
27.4%
1.1%
12.4%
31
68
0
35
68
0
4
0
0
12.9%
0.0%
NA
Areas
Internal Floor Area (m²)
External Area (m²)
Total Surveyed Area (m²)
Visitor Accommodation
Hotel Accommodation (Rooms)
Serviced Apartments (Units)
Backpacker Accommodation (Beds)
3 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Industry Classification
The FES codes each business establishment based on a modified Australian and New Zealand
Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) – 2006. ANZSIC classifies the primary activity of a
business into 16 ‘Divisions’ and then into 506 4-digit ‘Industries’. The Survey has further sub-divided
these into 644 unique business uses. This allows for more detailed analysis of business,
employment and floor space uses.
The 644 business uses have been re-categorised into a ‘City-Based Industry Sector’ Classification
based on the method used by the City of Greater London. This classification better reflects the mix
of uses within the business community of city centres such as the City of Sydney. There are
nineteen ‘business’ related industry divisions, and a further five ‘non-business’ related industry
divisions within the City-Based Industry Sector Classification. This allows the analysis of industry
groups such as Creative Industries, Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Tourist,
Cultural and Leisure.
Table 2 (following) shows the breakdown by City-Based Industry of employment, businesses and
(business) floor space for the Green Square and City South Village in 2012. During the Survey, data
was collected on 2,102 businesses; there were 27,949 workers counted; and businesses occupied
2,247,677m² of internal floor space.
The predominant Industry Sector in the Green Square and City South Village is Transport and
Logistics, with the highest proportions of businesses, employment and floor area. A number of
Industry Sectors employ more than 2,000 workers within the Green Square and City South Village,
including Creative Industries, ICT, Manufacturing, Professional and Business Services, Retail and
Personal Services and Transport and Logistics. This characterises a diversified industry mix in a
location that is historically dominated by two industries – Manufacturing and Transport and Logistics.
Tables 3, 5 and 6 (following) show the changes in the number of businesses, employment and
business floor space use by each of the City-Based Industry Sectors between 2007 and 2012.
Business Establishments
Between 2007 and 2012 the number of businesses in the Green Square and City South Village
increased by 18.6%, from 1,773 to 2,102 establishments. The largest sectoral increase occurred in
the Retail and Personal Services Industry, with an additional 127 business establishments compared
to 2007. There were an additional 51 Food and Drink premises compared to 2007. Almost half of
these additional establishments can be found in the newer residential development areas in the
north-east of the Village.
Of the 1,773 businesses located in the Village in 2007, 1,195 were still operating in the same
location in 2012. By 2012, approximately 32.6% of businesses surveyed in 2007 were no longer
operating in the same location. There was a large number of new commencements of businesses in
a number of industry sectors, including Creative Industries, ICT and Manufacturing, where there was
also very little growth in the number of businesses. This signifies a high turnover rate for firms within
these industry sectors. Retail and Personal Services, Food and Drink and Professional and
Business Services all had a relatively high number of new businesses allied with significant growth in
the number of establishments. The area’s predominant industry, Transport and Logistics, had the
largest business turnover number (160 ceasing or moving operation, with 154 commencing), whilst
at the same time showing no growth in absolute numbers, in fact experiencing a marginal decline.
4 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Table 2. Overview of City-Based Industry Sectors, Green Square and City South Village, 2012
City-Based Industry Sector
Community
Creative Industries
Finance and Financial Services
Food and Drink
Government
Health
Higher Education and Research
ICT
Life Science (Bio-tech)
Manufacturing
Motor Vehicle
Natural Resource-Based Industries
Other*
Professional and Business Services
Property Development and Operation
Retail and Personal Services
Social Capital
Tourist, Cultural and Leisure
Transport and Logistics
Utilities
Total
Businesses
% of Total
Businesses
Employment
% of Total
Employment
Business
Floor Area
%
Business
Floor Area
23
176
27
194
18
35
14
174
31
176
142
0
0
177
98
305
49
40
414
9
2,102
1.1%
8.4%
1.3%
9.2%
0.9%
1.7%
0.7%
8.3%
1.5%
8.4%
6.8%
0.0%
0.0%
8.4%
4.7%
14.5%
2.3%
1.9%
19.7%
0.4%
100.0%
241
2,715
291
1,377
548
713
339
2,887
445
3,606
1,825
0
25
2,173
841
2,779
518
337
6,113
176
27,949
0.9%
9.7%
1.0%
4.9%
2.0%
2.6%
1.2%
10.3%
1.6%
12.9%
6.5%
0.0%
0.1%
7.8%
3.0%
9.9%
1.9%
1.2%
21.9%
0.6%
100.0%
42,018
177,616
15,802
84,287
50,741
35,350
20,929
159,209
35,529
265,301
217,862
0
0
93,821
48,499
302,000
29,745
41,947
605,690
21,332
2,247,677
1.9%
7.9%
0.7%
3.7%
2.3%
1.6%
0.9%
7.1%
1.6%
11.8%
9.7%
0.0%
0.0%
4.2%
2.2%
13.4%
1.3%
1.9%
26.9%
0.9%
100.0%
*’Other’ industry sector data may include nil businesses, nil employment and/or nil business floor area. This is explained by: the inclusion of nonprivate households which employ staff, such as student accommodation and aged care facilities; and, workers counted in common areas of multitenanted buildings who are not directly linked to a business establishment.
5 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Table 3. Business Mix By City-Based Industry Sectors, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
City-Based Industry Sector
2007
% of 2007
Businesses
2012
% of 2012
Businesses
Change
2007-2012
% Change
2007-2012
Community
Creative Industries
Finance and Financial Services
Food and Drink
Government
Health
Higher Education and Research
ICT
Life Science (Bio-tech)
Manufacturing
Motor Vehicle
Natural Resource-Based Industries
Other
Professional and Business Services
Property Development and Operation
Retail and Personal Services
Social Capital
Tourist, Cultural and Leisure
Transport and Logistics
Utilities
Total
25
171
22
143
15
25
12
158
21
181
131
0
0
124
84
178
23
24
420
16
1,773
1.4%
9.6%
1.2%
8.1%
0.8%
1.4%
0.7%
8.9%
1.2%
10.2%
7.4%
0.0%
0.0%
7.0%
4.7%
10.0%
1.3%
1.4%
23.7%
0.9%
100.0%
23
176
27
194
18
35
14
174
31
176
142
0
0
177
98
305
49
40
414
9
2,102
1.1%
8.4%
1.3%
9.2%
0.9%
1.7%
0.7%
8.3%
1.5%
8.4%
6.8%
0.0%
0.0%
8.4%
4.7%
14.5%
2.3%
1.9%
19.7%
0.4%
100.0%
-2
5
5
51
3
10
2
16
10
-5
11
0
0
53
14
127
26
16
-6
-7
329
-8.0%
2.9%
22.7%
35.7%
20.0%
40.0%
16.7%
10.1%
47.6%
-2.8%
8.4%
NA
NA
42.7%
16.7%
71.3%
113.0%
66.7%
-1.4%
NA
18.6%
6 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Table 4. Recent and Established Businesses By City-Based Industry Sectors,
Green Square and City South Village, 2012
City-Based Industry Sector
Community
Creative Industries
Finance and Financial Services
Food and Drink
Government
Health
Higher Education and Research
ICT
Life Science (Bio-tech)
Manufacturing
Motor Vehicle
Natural Resource-Based Industries
Other
Professional and Business Services
Property Development and Operation
Retail and Personal Services
Social Capital
Tourist, Cultural and Leisure
Transport and Logistics
Utilities
Total
Established
(Pre-2008)
Commenced
2008-2012
%
Established
21
106
15
99
18
18
9
108
19
117
101
0
0
75
48
140
18
21
260
2
1,195
2
70
12
95
0
17
5
66
12
59
41
0
0
102
50
165
31
19
154
7
907
91.3%
60.2%
55.6%
51.0%
100.0%
51.4%
64.3%
62.1%
61.3%
66.5%
71.1%
NA
NA
42.4%
49.0%
45.9%
36.7%
52.5%
62.8%
22.2%
56.9%
Figures 3a and 3b show the percentage share of the top six City-Based Industry Sectors in 2007 and
2012. Transport and Logistics remains the predominant industry in terms of the number of
businesses, however its percentage share has dropped from 23.7% down to 19.7% between the
Surveys. Manufacturing fell from second to fifth place, decreasing establishment share from 10.2%
down to 8.4%, whilst Creative Industries fell from fourth to sixth despite a slight increase in
establishment numbers. Despite an increase in the absolute number of establishments, ICT has
fallen out of the top six industries in terms of share. The main reason for these declines in share is
the absolute and percentage growth in Retail and Personal Services (10.0% to 14.5%) and Food
and Drink Industries (8.1% to 9.2%) – largely to serve the increasing residential population of the
area – and Professional and Business Services Industry (7.0% to 8.4%). This suggests that the
industry mix of Green Square and City South Village is becoming more diversified over time, and
less dominated by its traditional base of Transport and Logistics and Manufacturing sectors.
7 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
% of Total Businesses, 2007
Transport and Logistics
23.7%
Manufacturing
29.4%
Retail and Personal
Services
Creative Industries
10.2%
ICT
8.1%
Food and Drink
10.0%
8.9%
Other Industries
9.6%
Figure 3a. Percentage Share of Top Six Industry Sectors, 2007
% of Total Businesses, 2012
Transport and Logistics
19.7%
Retail and Personal
Services
31.4%
Food and Drink
14.5%
Professional and
Business Services
Manufacturing
Creative Industries
8.4%
9.2%
8.4%
Other Industries
8.4%
Green Square and City South Village
Figure 3b. Percentage Share of Top Six Industry Sectors, 2012
8 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Employment
In the period between the Surveys, employment in the Green Square and City South Village
increased by 11.6%. There were 27,949 workers counted in 2012 across nineteen different industry
sectors. Fifteen of the nineteen sectors experienced employment growth, with Professional and
Business Services and Retail and Personal Services recording the highest increases, with 923 and
853 additional workers respectively. Both of these industry sectors had complementary growth in
the net number of businesses. Transport and Logistics remains the predominant employer in the
area despite a minor decrease in numbers and continues to employ over one-fifth of workers. The
Manufacturing Sector increased its workforce over the period, despite a slight decrease in the
number of business premises.
Table 5 following shows the breakdown of employment by City-Based Industry Sector for 2007 and
2012, with the percentage share of each sector and the change between Surveys. Two of the
industry sectors, Social Capital and Tourist, Cultural and Leisure more than doubled their
employment numbers, with another four sectors adding at least half their worker numbers again over
a five year period.
In a number of industries, changes in single establishments have had significant impact on the
change in employment for that sector. In the case of the ICT sector, one establishment which
employed over 800 workers ceased operation in this location, which was the primary reason for the
net decrease of 578 employees. In contrast, a single Health industry establishment with over 300
workers commenced operation between 2007 and 2012, accounting for almost all of the employment
growth in that sector.
In 2012, businesses in Green Square and City South Village employed 13.3 workers on average
across all sectors. The Government Sector had the highest average workers per establishment with
30.4, whilst the Food and Drink sector had the fewest workers per business with 7.1. The average
number of workers per establishment in 2007 was 14.1. The fall in average number of workers
across all establishments is due primarily to the proportionally large growth in the number of Food
and Drink, Retail and Personal Services and Professional and Business Services establishments
that traditionally have fewer employees per business.
The following figures (4a and 4b) illustrate the proportion of employment across the top six industry
sectors in 2007 and 2012 respectively. The Transport and Logistics industry sector had the highest
proportion of employment in both 2007 and 2012, although its share decreased over the period, from
24.7% in 2007 down to 21.9% in 2012.
The Manufacturing sector was still the second highest employer in both Surveys, although its
percentage share also decreased.
ICT maintained its position as third largest employer although its share of total employment
diminished by 3.5% as a result of losing 578 workers between 2007 and 2012.
The industries that gained the most in their percentage share of employment were Professional and
Business Services, increasing from 5.0% to 7.8%, and Retail and Personal Services increasing from
7.7% up to 10% of total employment.
Total employment in the Village was more evenly distributed across the industry sectors in 2012
than in 2007. The top six industries became less dominant in terms of employment share compared
to the remaining industries.
9 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Table 5. Employment By City-Based Industry Sectors, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
City-Based Industry Sector
Community
Creative Industries
Finance and Financial Services
Food and Drink
Government
Health
Higher Education and Research
ICT
Life Science (Bio-tech)
Manufacturing
Motor Vehicle
Natural Resource-Based Industries
Other
Professional and Business Services
Property Development and Operation
Retail and Personal Services
Social Capital
Tourist, Cultural and Leisure
Transport and Logistics
Utilities
Total
10 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
2007
% of 2007
Employment
2012
% of 2012
Employment
Change
2007-2012
% Change
2007-2012
425
2,698
232
1,077
290
402
303
3,465
579
3,575
1,460
0
15
1,250
712
1,926
131
160
6,186
157
25,043
1.7%
10.8%
0.9%
4.3%
1.2%
1.6%
1.2%
13.8%
2.3%
14.3%
5.8%
0.0%
0.1%
5.0%
2.8%
7.7%
0.5%
0.6%
24.7%
0.6%
100.0%
241
2,715
291
1,377
548
713
339
2,887
445
3,606
1,825
0
25
2,173
841
2,779
518
337
6,113
176
27,949
0.9%
9.7%
1.0%
4.9%
2.0%
2.6%
1.2%
10.3%
1.6%
12.9%
6.5%
0.0%
0.1%
7.8%
3.0%
9.9%
1.9%
1.2%
21.9%
0.6%
100.0%
-184
17
59
300
258
311
36
-578
-134
31
365
0
10
923
129
853
387
177
-73
19
2,906
-43.3%
0.6%
25.4%
27.9%
89.0%
77.4%
11.9%
-16.7%
-23.1%
0.9%
25.0%
NA
66.7%
73.8%
18.1%
44.3%
295.4%
110.6%
-1.2%
NA
11.6%
% of Total Employment, 2007
Transport and Logistics
22.9%
24.7%
Manufacturing
ICT
Creative Industries
5.8%
14.3%
7.7%
Retail and Personal
Services
Motor Vehicle
10.8%
Other Industries
13.8%
Figure 4a. Percentage Share of Top Six Industry Sectors, 2007
% of Total Employment, 2012
Transport and Logistics
21.9%
Manufacturing
27.4%
ICT
12.9%
7.8%
10.3%
9.7%
10.0%
Retail and Personal
Services
Creative Industries
Professional and
Business Services
Other Industries
Figure 4b. Percentage Share of Top Six Industry Sectors, 2012
11 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
The following figures (5 and 6) show the distribution of employment by block in 2012 and the change
in employment numbers by block between 2007 and 2012 respectively. As can be seen in the first
map, the majority of employment occurs in the western half of the Village, with a small pocket of
employment below Victoria Park to the East.
Figure 5. Total Employment by Block, 2012
12 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Figure 6 below shows that almost all of the employment growth has occurred in the south west,
either side of O’Riordan Street. In most cases, employment loss has been due to conversion of sites
for residential uses. Over the coming years as the Town Centre starts to develop, it is anticipated
that most of the employment growth will occur around this area. There will be continued
development for residential uses in the eastern half of the Village, leading to a further redistribution
of employment across the Green Square and City South Village.
Figure 6. Total Employment Change by Block, 2007 to 2012
13 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Floor Area
The 2012 FES measured nearly four and a half million square metres of internal floor space in the
Green Square and City South Village. Additionally, data was collected on 2.77 million square metres
of external space, including parks, car parks, terraces and balconies. The measurements for the
floor space uses were collected by creating spatial entities for each non-contiguous space, and
attributing relevant attribute data such as employment numbers, capacity and vacancy to each.
Every individual space is held in a Geographic Information System (GIS) database, and is related to
the business that uses it. The GIS calculates the areas automatically, and allows 2-D and 3-D
rendering of the data.
In terms of internal business floor area, the Transport and Logistics sector occupies the largest
amount of floor space in the Village, with over 605,000m². This is more than double the next largest
floor area user, Retail and Personal Services, which uses 302,000m². Other industries with
significant floor space uses include Manufacturing (265,301m²) and Motor Vehicle (217,862m²)
sectors, both of which also have large components of external floor area.
The Retail and Personal Services Sector had the highest increase in floor area used, with an
additional 86,056m² (an increase of 39.9%). Between the two Surveys, there was a net decrease of
16,164m² of business floor space across all sectors, compared to an additional 2,906 workers. This
suggests that there has been a significant intensification of floor space per worker (Work Space
Ratio – WSR) across the Village. The industry sectors with significant floor area losses include
Manufacturing (down 31.6%), Transport and Logistics (down 12.3%) and ICT (down 30.3%).
The amount of residential floor area increased by 23.0% between 2007 and 2012, adding another
quarter of a million square metres to the stock. There were 2,168 dwellings completed in this period.
14 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Table 6. Internal Floor Area By City-Based Industry Sectors, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
2007
m²
% of 2007
Floor Space
2012
m²
% of 2012
Floor Space
Change
2007-2012
% Change
2007-2012
Community
Creative Industries
Finance and Financial Services
Food and Drink
Government
Health
Higher Education and Research
ICT
Life Science (Bio-tech)
Manufacturing
Motor Vehicle
Natural Resource-Based Industries
Professional and Business Services
Property Development and Operation
Retail and Personal Services
Social Capital
Tourist, Cultural and Leisure
Transport and Logistics
Utilities
Total Business Floor Area
46,386
164,971
14,464
74,984
38,397
15,178
20,272
228,294
39,701
387,780
159,743
0
58,962
51,437
215,944
8,610
21,713
690,399
26,606
2,263,841
2.0%
7.3%
0.6%
3.3%
1.7%
0.7%
0.9%
10.1%
1.8%
17.1%
7.1%
0.0%
2.6%
2.3%
9.5%
0.4%
1.0%
30.5%
1.2%
100.0%
42,018
177,616
15,802
84,287
50,741
35,350
20,929
159,209
35,529
265,301
217,862
0
93,821
48,499
302,000
29,745
41,947
605,690
21,332
2,247,677
1.9%
7.9%
0.7%
3.7%
2.3%
1.6%
0.9%
7.1%
1.6%
11.8%
9.7%
0.0%
4.2%
2.2%
13.4%
1.3%
1.9%
26.9%
0.9%
100.0%
-4,368
12,645
1,339
9,303
12,344
20,171
657
-69,085
-4,172
-122,479
58,119
0
34,859
-2,938
86,056
21,135
20,234
-84,709
-5,274
-16,164
-9.4%
7.7%
9.3%
12.4%
32.1%
132.9%
3.2%
-30.3%
-10.5%
-31.6%
36.4%
NA
59.1%
-5.7%
39.9%
245.5%
93.2%
-12.3%
-19.8%
-0.7%
Private Households
Non-Private Households
Other
Redevelopment
Vacant
Total Businesses Floor Area
Total Floor Area
1,100,282
2,589
245,386
63,764
570,092
2,263,841
4,245,954
25.9%
0.1%
5.8%
1.5%
13.4%
53.3%
100.0%
1,352,901
2,589
334,422
83,522
406,937
2,247,677
4,428,047
30.6%
0.1%
7.6%
1.9%
9.2%
50.8%
100.0%
252,618
0
89,036
19,758
-163,155
-16,164
182,093
23.0%
0.0%
36.3%
31.0%
-28.6%
-0.7%
4.3%
City-Based Industry Sector
15 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
% of Business Floor Area, 2007
Transport and
Logistics
Manufacturing
18.4%
30.5%
ICT
7.1%
Retail and Personal
Services
Creative Industries
7.3%
Motor Vehicle
9.5%
17.1%
Other Industries
10.1%
Figure 7a. Percentage Share of Top Six Industry Sectors by Floor Area, 2007
% of Business Floor Area, 2012
Transport and
Logistics
22.9%
26.7%
Retail and Personal
Services
Manufacturing
Motor Vehicle
7.0%
Creative Industries
13.3%
7.8%
ICT
Other Industries
9.6%
12.7%
Figure 7b. Percentage Share of Top Six Industry Sectors by Floor Area, 2012
16 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Figures 7a and 7b show the percentage share of business floor area for the top six industries in
2007 and 2012 respectively. Transport and Logistics had the highest share of floor space usage,
although it decreased from 30.5% in 2007 to 26.7% in 2012. Over the same period, Manufacturing
decreased its percentage share of floor space from 17.1% to 12.7%, whilst Retail and Personal
Services increased its floor space from 9.5% to 13.3%.
Over the five years between the Surveys the share of business floor space in traditional industries
such as Manufacturing and Transport and Logistics has decreased as the local economy of Green
Square and City South Village moves to a more service-oriented industry mix. These two industries
are likely to continue to have a significant but decreasing impact on the Village due to the area’s
proximity to Sydney Airport and Port Botany, however a large proportion of new business growth is
expected to occur in the services and technology sectors, including Professional and Business
Services, Retail and Personal Services, ICT and Creative Industries.
The average business is approximately 1,069m² in size (for all space uses) across all sectors. This
ranges from an average low space use of 434m² per establishment for Food and Drink, up to an
average of 2,819m² of floor space use per establishment for the Government sector.
Figure 8 below maps the distribution of internal floor area by block for the Green Square and City
South Village in 2012. The areas in light yellow are the major parks in the Village, whilst the lighter
red areas are predominantly low density residential locations around Rosebery and Beaconsfield.
The highest levels of floor space are located in the industrial areas in the western half of the Village,
as well as the remaining industrial areas along South Dowling Street to the east, and the high
density residential areas of the former ACI site in the north eastern portion of the Village.
Figure 8. Total Internal Floor Space by Block, 2012
At the time of the Survey, approximately 490,000m² of internal floor area was Vacant or Under
Redevelopment, comprising 11.1% of all internal floor space. This is down from 14.9% of floor
space in the same category in 2007. There is still a significant amount of redevelopment occurring
in the Village that is residential or employment generating and this will continue to occur for the
foreseeable future.
17 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Space Use
The City of Sydney Floor Space and Employment Survey collects data in three levels, from
individual ‘Space Units’ (space uses), which belong to ‘Establishments’, which are located in
‘Buildings’. The FES data classifies all floor area within the LGA according to the way in which the
space is used. Each space use is assigned a code, which is categorised according to fourteen
different space use divisions. Space use codes are also used to record employment, seating
capacities, dwelling and room numbers and parking spaces. These space uses can then be related
to the industry use of each establishment, and the location of each building. For the Green Square
and City South Village, there were 45,038 internal and 16,154 external individual space units
recorded in 2012. This represents a 29.4% increase in the number of records collected compared to
the 2007 Survey.
Table 7 indicates the internal floor area by Space Use Division within the Green Square and City
South Village in 2007 and 2012. The Village has been historically dominated by the Transport and
Logistics industry sector, which is reflected in the large proportion of Storage space uses in 2007
(19.7%), although this proportion has slightly declined since (18.2% in 2012). Residential space
uses are currently the predominant type of space, rising from 19.3% in 2007 to 22.7% in 2012.
Looking at residential construction currently approved and underway, the percentage share of
Residential space is set to increase in the short term. The amount of space devoted to Parking has
also increased by 24.9% (Parking includes parking spaces, driveways, loading zones and bicycle
parking). This growth is largely connected to the growth of Residential space. There was almost
60,000m² of Shop/Showroom space added between the Surveys, due to the need to service the
growing residential community.
The Industrial Space Use Division had the greatest loss of space between 2007 and 2012, with
almost 270,000m² lost. Interestingly, the amount of employment in these spaces increased over the
same period (Table 8), with a greater intensification of use of this space in 2012. There was also a
minor decrease in the amount of Office space uses, due to the redevelopment of sites with small
Office components.
Table 8 shows the total employment by Space Use Division for the Green Square and City South
Village in both 2007 and 2012. Those Space Uses with no employment (or minor employment) have
been aggregated into the Other category.
The majority of employment in Green Square and City South Village is located in Office space uses,
comprising 63.8% of all employment. The Industrial Space Use Division holds the second highest
number of workers with 4,339, or 15.5% of the total employment. Whereas there have been
decreases in the amount of floor space in a number of Space Use Divisions, employment totals have
risen across all Space Use Divisions; with an additional 1,378 workers in Office spaces and 583 in
Shop/Showroom spaces the most significant.
The FES collects a number of capacity measures that are related to different types of space uses.
The capacities are recorded for each individual space record. Table 9 following shows the capacity
of restaurant seating, café seating, and meeting room / boardroom seating aggregated across the
Village for 2007 and 2012.
In the five year period from 2007 to 2012, there was a 27.3% increase in the number of restaurant
seats, with the number of restaurant establishments rising from 24 to 32. There was a 91.1%
increase in café seating, with the number of café establishments rising from 44 in 2007 to 68 in
2012. In terms of the number of seats in meeting rooms (or boardrooms), this rose by 42.5% in the
same period.
18 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Table 7. Internal Floor Area by Space Use Division, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
Space Use Division
Office
Shop/Showroom
Residential
Storage
Industrial
Visitor Accommodation
Entertainment/Leisure
Restaurant/Eating
Community
Utilities
Parking
Transport
Common Area
Other
Total
19 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
2007
m²
% Floor
Area 2007
2012
m²
% Floor
Area 2012
Change
2007-2012
% Change
2007-2012
715,296
172,628
819,476
837,010
698,042
6,871
34,240
25,243
29,167
29,920
435,836
64,419
284,779
93,026
4,245,954
16.8%
4.1%
19.3%
19.7%
16.4%
0.2%
0.8%
0.6%
0.7%
0.7%
10.3%
1.5%
6.7%
2.2%
100.0%
706,199
231,056
1,004,902
807,359
428,319
6,887
40,453
30,587
28,053
29,047
544,542
74,233
312,889
183,521
4,428,047
15.9%
5.2%
22.7%
18.2%
9.7%
0.2%
0.9%
0.7%
0.6%
0.7%
12.3%
1.7%
7.1%
4.1%
100.0%
-9,097
58,428
185,426
-29,651
-269,724
16
6,213
5,343
-1,114
-873
108,706
9,814
28,110
90,495
182,093
-1.3%
33.8%
22.6%
-3.5%
-38.6%
0.2%
18.1%
21.2%
-3.8%
-2.9%
24.9%
15.2%
9.9%
97.3%
4.3%
Table 8. Employment Mix by Space Use Division, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
Space Use Division
2007
% Employment
2007
2012
% Employment
2012
Change
2007-2012
% Change
2007-2012
Office
Shop/Showroom
Storage
Industrial
Entertainment/Leisure
Restaurant/Eating
Community
Utilities
Transport
Other
Total
16,441
1,029
2,416
4,165
32
528
148
174
53
57
25,043
65.7%
4.1%
9.6%
16.6%
0.1%
2.1%
0.6%
0.7%
0.2%
0.2%
100.0%
17,819
1,612
2,446
4,339
178
826
191
187
252
99
27,949
63.8%
5.8%
8.8%
15.5%
0.6%
3.0%
0.7%
0.7%
0.9%
0.4%
100.0%
1,378
583
30
174
146
298
43
13
199
42
2,906
8.4%
56.7%
1.2%
4.2%
456.3%
56.4%
29.1%
7.5%
375.5%
73.7%
11.6%
Table 9. Selected Capacity Measures, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
Capacity Measure
2007
2012
Change
2007-2012
% Change
2007-2012
Restaurant Seating
Cafe/Coffee Lounge Seating
Meeting Room/Board Room Seating
906
915
3,994
1,153
1,749
5,690
247
834
1,696
27.3%
91.1%
42.5%
20 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Work Space Ratios
Work Space Ratios (WSRs) are an indication of the average number of square metres within which
employees work for a particular industry. The ratio is determined by dividing the internal floor area
(in square metres) of a categorised space grouping by the total number of employees recorded for
that grouping. Ratios can be determined using the Industry Divisions, Space Use Divisions, Office
space uses and Occupied Office space uses, where the floor area is divided by total employees.
The ratios for each category can be used for projecting the anticipated population of new
developments, and to determine how space uses are managed over time.
Table 10 (following) shows the industry-wide WSRs for Green Square and City South Village in 2007
and 2012. In any given industry division, where the WSR for 2012 is less than that of 2007, there
has been an intensification of employment to space use for that industry. This means that a
percentage of the growth of employment of any given area or industry may come from more
intensive use of space, rather than solely from the take-up of new development space. This has
been the case in fourteen of the eighteen industries present in the Village.
Overall, the average WSR for the Village fell from 90.5 in 2007 to 80.5 in 2012. By comparison, the
overall WSR for the LGA was 41.5 in 2007 and 37.9 in 2012. The most intensive use of work space
occurs in the Professional and Business Services, with 43.2m² for every worker. This is a slight
decrease in space per employee when compared to 2007, where there was 47.2m² per worker. The
industries with the lower WSRs tend to have higher concentrations of office spaces, or in the case of
the Health Division, doctor’s surgeries or waiting rooms. Those industries with higher WSRs tend to
have very large areas with little or no employment, such as showrooms (Retail and Personal
Services or Motor Vehicle) or public spaces (Community or Tourist, Culture and Leisure). On
average, the WSR for the combined industries in Green Square and City South Village was more
than double the average for the City of Sydney (in both 2007 and 2012). The average WSR across
all industry sectors for Green Square and City South Village was 49m² greater than the LGA average
in 2007 (90.5 compared to 41.5), tightening to just above 43m² greater than the LGA average in
2012 (80.5 compared to 37.9).
The following table (Table 11) shows the WSRs for the nine main employment generating Space
Use Divisions. Space Use Divisions with minor employment levels have not been included; hence
the totals for the table do not match the corresponding Village totals (for floor space and employment
in Tables 7 and 8).
Interestingly, the Restaurant/Eating Space Use Division has the lowest WSR (37.0), closely followed
by the Office division (39.6). This is a reversal of the 2007 results, and is due to the small average
floor space size of the new restaurants and cafes within the Village. All of the other Space Use
Divisions are far less intensive in their use of floor area for employment, generally using space for
ancillary business purposes. There has been a dramatic fall in the WSR for Industrial spaces,
suggesting that a fundamental change is occurring in the way this type of space is used and that it is
becoming far more intensive and employment oriented (rather than process oriented).
In general, the Office Space Use Division is the most intensive of the space uses, and is usually a
good indicator of future employment projections for a known quantum of floor space. The two main
types of Office space defined are partitioned offices (predominantly walled offices with single
occupants) and open plan offices (with workstations and multiple workers). Table 12 shows that the
average WSR for partitioned and open plan office spaces is 24.3 square metres per worker (as
compared to 39.6 for all Office space uses combined, which also includes other spaces such as
meeting rooms, reception areas, photocopy areas and breakout spaces). The 2012 Survey also
collected the capacity of partitioned and open-plan offices and vacant office space to determine the
maximum intensity of uses for these two office types. If all Office space was fully occupied at the
current average work space ratio, there could be an additional 7,914 workers in Green Square and
City South Village (Table 13).
21 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Table 10. Work Space Ratios by City-Based Industry Division, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
2007
City Based Industry Sector
Community
Creative Industries
Finance and Financial Services
Food and Drink
Government
Health
Higher Education and Research
ICT
Life Science (Bio-tech)
Manufacturing
Motor Vehicle
Natural Resource-Based Industries
Professional and Business Services
Property Development and Operation
Retail and Personal Services
Social Capital
Tourist, Cultural and Leisure
Transport and Logistics
Utilities
Total
22 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
2012
Internal Area
Employment
WSR
Internal Area
Employment
WSR
46,386
164,971
14,464
74,984
38,397
15,178
20,272
228,294
39,701
387,780
159,743
0
58,962
51,437
215,944
8,610
21,713
690,399
26,606
2,263,841
425
2,698
232
1,077
290
402
303
3,465
579
3,575
1,460
0
1,250
712
1,926
131
160
6,186
157
25,028
109.1
61.1
62.3
69.6
132.4
37.8
66.9
65.9
68.6
108.5
109.4
NA
47.2
72.2
112.1
65.7
135.7
111.6
169.5
90.5
42,018
177,616
15,802
84,287
50,741
35,350
20,929
159,209
35,529
265,301
217,862
0
93,821
48,499
302,000
29,745
41,947
605,690
21,332
2,247,677
241
2,715
291
1,377
548
713
339
2,887
445
3,606
1,825
0
2,173
841
2,779
518
337
6,113
176
27,924
174.3
65.4
54.3
61.2
92.6
49.6
61.7
55.1
79.8
73.6
119.4
NA
43.2
57.7
108.7
57.4
124.5
99.1
121.2
80.5
Table 11. Work Space Ratios by Space Use Division, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
2007
2012
Space Use Division
Internal Area
Employment
WSR
Internal Area
Employment
WSR
Office
Shop/Showroom
Storage
Industrial
Entertainment/Leisure
Restaurant/Eating
Community
Utilities
Transport
Total
715,296
172,628
837,010
698,042
34,240
25,243
29,167
29,920
64,419
2,605,965
16,441
1,029
2,416
4,165
32
528
148
174
53
24,986
43.5
167.8
346.4
167.6
1,070.0
47.8
197.1
172.0
1,215.4
104.3
706,199
231,056
807,359
428,319
40,453
30,587
28,053
29,047
74,233
2,375,306
17,819
1,612
2,446
4,339
178
826
191
187
252
27,850
39.6
143.3
330.1
98.7
227.3
37.0
146.9
155.3
294.6
85.3
Table 12. Work Space Ratios by Office Space Use, Green Square and City South Village, 2007-2012
2007
Office Type
Partitioned Office
Open Plan Office
Total
23 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report
Internal
Area
83,015
309,732
392,747
2012
Employment
WSR
3,307
12,460
15,767
25.1
24.9
24.9
Internal
Area
116,296
289,860
406,156
Employment
WSR
4,703
12,034
16,737
24.7
24.1
24.3
Table 13. Potential Maximum Capacity Work Space Ratios by Office Space Use,
Green Square and City South Village, 2012
2012
Office Type
Partitioned Office
Open Plan Office
Vacant Office
Total
Internal Area
Employment
Capacity
WSR
116,296
289,860
77,852
484,008
5,817
15,531
3,303
24,651
20.0
18.7
23.6
19.6
Occupied Office Employment (Actual)
Additional Office Employment Capacity
16,737
7,914
Conclusion
The Green Square and City South Village is undergoing significant structural change in its industry
and employment mix, whilst at the same time experiencing significant employment and residential
growth. The traditionally dominant industry sectors of Transport and Logistics and Manufacturing
have undergone relative decline over the past five years, as service sector industries such as
Professional and Business Services and Retail and Personal Services expand.
There has been substantial growth in the Residential sector in recent years, which is set to continue
into the near future, especially on the eastern side of the Village. Allied with expected employment
growth, especially around the Green Square Town Centre, the future land use and employment mix
of the Village is set to continue to change in the future. If the trends of the past five years continue
into the future, there will be continued expansion of the Professional and Business Services, Retail
and Personal Service, and Food and Drink sectors, whilst the Transport and Logistics and
Manufacturing will decrease their percentage share of businesses, employment and floor space in
the Green Square and City South Village.
24 / Green Square and City South Village FES Report