Ability to trade 24-hours pre-Christmas

The NSW Government has confirmed that the existing regulation which allows businesses to trade for 24 hours in the two weeks prior to Christmas will again apply in 2015 (starting 11 December). This will help give NSW retailers a boost during the vital shopping season.

The rules, which exist within the Exempt and Complying Development Code State Environmental Planning Policy, effectively ‘switch off’ any planning related trading restrictions.

The rules only apply to premises in a business zone and they don’t override any other planning conditions regarding, for example, vehicle movements and deliveries.

The extended Christmas shopping hours do not apply to licensed food and drinks premises and shops within mixed-use buildings, where they are located on the same floor as a residential use or the floors immediately above or below a residential use.

The Code also doesn’t compel a business to trade and doesn’t override existing core trading hour arrangements.