Newcastle council has approved a Wickham apartment tower which will almost double the site's height limit.
Councillors voted on Tuesday to approve the 45-metre Neufort unit block behind the Lass O'Gowrie Hotel on a site with a 24-metre limit.
Deputy lord mayor Declan Clausen said residents group Great Lifestyle of Wickham had written to the council endorsing the height of the building, which is in line with the council's 2017 Wickham Master Plan.
The council will receive $955,000 from the developer under a voluntary planning agreement to pay for public domain works in return for the approval, plus about $2.8 million in compulsory developer contributions.
Cr Clausen said the Lass O'Gowrie, an "important live music venue in the city", was concerned about the unit tower's proximity to the hotel and wanted prospective residents to be informed they would be living near an entertainment venue.
"Later in the agenda this evening we have an instrument that will provide that exact notification," Cr Clausen said, referring to the council's live music strategy.
The developer, Blake Organisation, launched a Land and Environment Court appeal in April over the council's deemed refusal of the revised project.
The court case is set down for January but appears redundant now the project has been approved.
A staff report said the city's Urban Design Consultative Group had raised concerns about the amended building's aesthetics, "overlooking" of neighbouring houses and reduced landscaping.
The report, which recommended approving the project, said a council assessment officer had found that the developer had adequately addressed these issues.
