11 August 2025
North Sydney Council has released a draft policy to formalise the management of commercial and organised activities in public open space, alongside a separate update highlighting increased usage pressures at St Leonards Park from schools and organised sport.
The proposed Commercial and Group Use of Public Open Space Policy would, for the first time, require permits and potentially fees for commercial operators, large groups and educational institutions using parks, reserves, beaches and other public spaces. The framework responds to longstanding complaints about unregulated activities such as fitness classes, kayak tours, professional dog walking, weddings and commercial picnics.
Council staff noted that North Sydney currently allows groups of up to 60 to gather without approval – a higher threshold than neighbouring Mosman, Willoughby and Lane Cove – and that the absence of permits or charges has attracted operators from other LGAs despite the area’s acknowledged shortage of open space.
Under the draft policy, groups of more than 21 people, any commercial activity regardless of size, and school operational use would require approval and compliance with conditions. Exemptions would apply to sporting groups with existing arrangements. Prohibited activities include amplified sound, marquees, certain decorative materials, drones and resistance training that uses park structures or vegetation. Breaches could result in fines and loss of authorisation.
Operational guidelines attached to the draft set specific restrictions for fitness trainers – including exclusion zones near memorials, playgrounds and residential areas before 7am – and professional dog walkers, who would be limited to four dogs at a time. Council will place the policy on public exhibition before returning with a fee schedule.
In a separate report, staff advised councillors on St Leonards Park usage following a February resolution. The 15-hectare heritage-listed park has seen a “substantial” increase in use by nearby schools such as Marist College, Wenona, North Sydney Boys High and Reddam House, with up to 500 students on-site during peak days. Most school use is not formally booked, meaning no revenue is collected for maintenance.
Complaints have also arisen about football clubs monopolising warm-up areas before matches at Bon Andrews and North Sydney Ovals. Council staff are working with clubs to designate warm-up zones.
Other noted trends include steady use by three to four fitness trainers per day, increased dog activity following loss of off-leash space to the Western Harbour Tunnel project, and conflicts between cyclists and pedestrians on shared paths.
The report also addressed a proposal to install permanent promotional signage for the weekly Parkrun, which draws around 400 participants. While the event operates under an annual permit at no charge, heritage conservation policies for the park prohibit such signage. Staff recommended instead promoting Parkrun via existing Council media channels, avoiding the estimated $5,000–$7,000 per sign cost.
Both reports underline Council’s intent to more actively manage finite open space in the face of competing demands and to bring its regulatory settings into closer alignment with neighbouring LGAs.