DEVELOPERS will be required to inform potential investors of the existence of live music venues under new residential planning controls expected to be introduced by the City Of Newcastle.
At Tuesday night's council meeting Labor councillors will push for the introduction of new planning controls they hope will reduce future conflict between residents and existing live music venues.
Two years ago council adopted a Live Music and After Dark Strategy, which sought to identify ways to protect and enhance Newcastle's music industry at a time when noise complaints threatened some venues.
The Lass O'Gowrie and Wickham Park Hotels are traditional live music venues that have experienced a growth in high-rise residential developments in their immediate vicinity.
"A lot of local governments around Australia have been looking at what is actually able to be done to put in place more information," Councillor Carol Duncan said.
Cr Duncan said she and her Labor counterparts would be recommending that Newcastle follow Wollongong's lead and adjust council's Section 10.7 Planning Certificate.
"This is simply a notification of some sort that advises you that when you are purchasing a property that you may be in a live music area, just to know that's going to occur," she said.
COVID-19 has crippled live entertainment in Newcastle as venues, musicians and their support industries have been forced to operate under prohibitive restrictions.
Cr Duncan said this made changes to planning controls even more vital.
"As we try to regroup and rebuild and try and figure out what the new normal is for everybody, including hospitality and the live music industry, then I think it's even more important that we take whatever measures we can to support the live music industry and hospitality," she said.
"At the same time with due respect for residents in those urban and town centres."
