The question of locality: Case study – development application for a bulk discount liquor outlet at East Nowra, NSW

This article discusses the effect of treating "locality" as necessarily spatially small, rather than as a relative concept whose area is determined on the issues. In the case study, the applicant estimated a primary trade area of some 35,000 residents for a proposed packaged liquor outlet. At the same time the applicant defined the primary locality as an area within a 400 m radius of the site with 1,708 residents. A secondary locality, as defined, excluded 95% of residents in the primary trade area, and the secondary locality excluded 90%. The judgement extended the locality somewhat, but excluded some 77% of residents in the primary trade area. Defining locality as spatially small excluded the majority of likely patrons, and substantially reduced the number of the liquor licences apparently in the locality and the extent of likely alcohol-related harms.