Identify access barriers and plan practical improvements across shops, showrooms, supermarkets and retail portfolios.
Access Solutions National (ASN) provides detailed accessibility audits for retailers, centre managers, landlords, designers and national property teams. We assess how people arrive, enter, move through and use the facility, then document clear priorities for action.
Request a fee proposal or call 1300 276 222 to discuss your site.
Why accessibility audits matter for shops, showrooms, supermarkets and retail portfolios
Accessibility affects participation, safety, service delivery and the everyday experience of people with disability. An audit creates a reliable picture of current conditions before upgrades, budgets or project briefs are finalised. ASN considers the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), the National Construction Code (NCC), the AS 1428 suite of Australian Standards and the agreed operational context.
The assessment is not a generic checklist. It follows representative user journeys and considers how individual barriers interact across the property.
What the audit can cover
Depending on the agreed scope, the audit can review centre or street approach, entrances, product circulation, change rooms, counters, payment points, customer facilities and emergency egress interfaces. Relevant elements may include parking, paths of travel, ramps, stairs, doorways, circulation spaces, lifts, sanitary facilities, signage, tactile ground surface indicators, luminance contrast and service points.
Common accessibility risks
- merchandising and displays reducing required circulation
- heavy or constrained entrance doors
- service counters and payment points with limited accessible options
- rollout designs that perform differently across existing tenancies
Findings are supported by site observations and photographs where relevant. The report explains why an issue matters and provides practical recommendations for the next decision.
What you receive
- Defined audit scope: a clear record of the areas, routes and facilities assessed.
- Documented findings: identified access issues with locations, photographs and relevant references.
- Practical recommendations: actions suitable for operational change, maintenance, design development or capital works.
- Prioritised planning: findings that can inform new store design, tenancy approvals, portfolio standards, refurbishment programs and operational improvements.
- Post-report support: clarification for the client and project team within the agreed service.
Desktop and onsite audit options
For proposed work, ASN can complete a desktop access audit of drawings and documentation. For existing buildings or completed works, an onsite access audit records physical conditions and measurements. Projects can use both services at different stages.
ASN also provides disability access consulting for retail and hospitality, Performance Solution reports and luminance contrast testing where required.
Why engage ASN?
- Accredited expertise: ASN consultants are qualified and Accredited Members of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia (ACAA).
- Established experience: ASN has provided disability access and inclusion advice since 2002.
- Lived experience: Director Dale Sheppard brings more than 20 years of lived experience of disability alongside academic qualifications and industry experience.
- Practical reporting: findings explain the issue, relevant requirement and recommended response.
- Independent advice: our focus is an accessible, compliant and workable built environment.
Frequently asked questions
Can ASN audit multiple retail locations?
Yes. ASN can use a consistent framework across a store portfolio and provide both site reports and consolidated findings.
Does an audit consider movable displays and furniture?
Yes, where relevant to the scope. Operational layout can materially affect circulation, counters, change rooms and access to products.
Can you review a proposed store fit-out?
Yes. Desktop audits can assess drawings before approval, procurement or construction, with onsite verification available later.
Request a fee proposal
Send ASN the property address, building type, areas to be assessed, available plans and your required timeframe through our fee request form. You can also email info@asnpl.com.au or call 1300 276 222.