Newcastle City Council has adopted an after-dark strategy and voted to exhibit a live music strategy as it seeks to juggle the interests of residents while stimulating the night economy.
The draft music strategy aims to provide more “low-impact” venues for musicians in an era of rising noise complaints from inner-city apartment residents.
“Existing noise guidelines are restrictive and should be reviewed to more specifically address land use conflicts and noise impacts within mixed use urban zones to facilitate the Night Time Economy,” the strategy says.
It argues the multi-agency approach to managing noise in NSW is “not delivering consistent outcomes in terms of planning and/or conflict resolution”.
The complementary after-dark strategy identifies seven entertainment precincts, East End, Civic-CBD, West End, Hamilton, Darby Street, Honeysuckle and The Junction-Merewether, and offers ways of invigorating them.
The strategy proposes allowing low-impact venues to open until 2am, better lighting and transport services, later trading hours for shops, libraries and galleries staying open into the evening, late-night food trucks, supporting “quality buskers”, encouraging more evening events, and establishing an annual night festival.
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Michael Parris
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
