Sydney’s nightlife plans open for comment

The City of Sydney is seeking feedback on its proposed changes to planning rules and the introduction of special entertainment precincts to breathe new life into the night-time economy.

The draft Entertainment Sound Management Development Control Plan and special entertainment precincts discussion paper are open for public feedback for the next six weeks.

Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO said the proposals would make it easier and cheaper for venues to trade later, while balancing the sound management needs of businesses and residents.

“We all want a nightlife we can be proud of and that our global city deserves,” the Lord Mayor said. “On the back of lockouts and lockdowns and amidst increasing cost of living pressures, we need to ensure we are doing all we can to support this integral part of Sydney’s economic, social and cultural fabric.

“In response to the challenging hospitality environment and the NSW Government’s vibrancy reforms, we have proposed important changes to the way we manage entertainment sound. We’ve also designated new special entertainment precincts that will help restore our thriving nightlife.

“We need to ensure we’re getting this right, so we will be holding community and stakeholder forums and extending the exhibition period to ensure everyone has a chance to have their say.”

The draft controls put the onus for sound management on new development, giving ‘sound rights’ to existing venues or residents, and make it easier to trial extended trading hours.

The proposed changes would:

• Better protect existing venues by insisting developers carry out acoustic testing and sound proofing measures, where required, in new residential developments nearby

• Better protect residents by mandating acoustic testing and sound mitigation measures where required, in new and substantially changed venues

• Make it easier for eligible entertainment venues to trade later with longer trials of extended opening hours.

The City of Sydney also wants to recognise existing well-established and well-understood late night trading areas with special entertainment precinct status.

“This will build on the extended hours and incentives in our current late night trading areas by providing sound management certainty, extended trading for live music and performance, and an  80% discount on liquor licence fees,” the Lord Mayor said.

“By designating existing late night trading areas instead of one or two streets, we have already proven these precincts can support this kind of activity. We’re hoping to apply the benefits to as many areas and businesses as possible while avoiding the safety and economic impacts of saturation.”

Special entertainment precinct status in existing late night trading areas would:

• Unlock incentives from the NSW Government for liquor licence fee discounts and additional licensing hours.

• Allow the City of Sydney to put in place bespoke sound criteria that suit the context of the area and encourage live music and entertainment.

• Make it easier for licensed and unlicensed businesses to trade later without a development application.

The Lord Mayor said these proposals build on the City of Sydney’s long-term commitment to boosting Sydney’s nightlife.

“The City of Sydney is home to a diverse nightlife, with a long history of mixed and vibrant neighbourhoods. We will continue doing all we can to support the continued growth of our night-time economy while accommodating new housing in well-located areas.”

The public consultation period runs from 21 November 2024 to 20 January 2025.

To find out more about Special Entertainment Precincts and our DCP amends or go to sydneyyoursay.com.au.

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Main image credit: City of Sydney / Katherine Griffiths