Policy & planning changes

An Open and Creative City: planning for culture and the night-time economy

Proposed planning controls to allow shops and businesses to trade later, more creative activities and fair management of entertainment sound.

Project Status: Closed

Council approved the plans in March 2021.
Public consultation period to

Maria Pavlides

Senior Project Manager, Community Consultation

Julie Prentice

Specialist Planner, Strategic Planning & Urban Design

What we’re doing

Since early 2017 we have been seeking feedback and ideas from both the community and the cultural industry on our discussion paper, An Open and Creative City.

We are now inviting your feedback on proposals to improve planning controls for cultural life, creative activities, live entertainment and the night-time economy.

The proposals: 

  • Allow existing shops and business to trade in central Sydney and local centres from 7am to 10pm, 7 days a week without an additional approval
  • Allow temporary small-scale cultural activities to take place in existing office, industrial, retail and community facility buildings without an approval
  • Make it easier for creative and maker tenants to locate in local centres
  • Allow for performance and entertainment uses at Erskineville Town Hall
  • Enable the fair management of entertainment sound to protect live music and performance venues and the community from potential adverse impacts.

This exhibition includes a planning proposal to amend the Sydney Local Environmental Plan 2012, a draft development control plan to amend Sydney Development Control Plan 2012, and draft technical guidelines.

The proposed planning controls available for comment are contained in the following documents:

  • Amended planning proposal for proposals relating to shops and businesses trading later, small-scale cultural activities in existing retail, office, industrial and community facility buildings, creative and maker tenants in local centres and performance and entertainment uses in Erskineville Town Hall
  • Draft Development Control Plan open and creative reforms and Appendix A for proposals relating to the fair management of entertainment sound and other guidance relating to small-scale cultural activities
  • Draft technical guidelines for proposals relating to small-scale cultural activities proposed in spaces less than 500 sqm.

The other documents provide background to the proposals.

What happens next?

We considered all feedback and reported the results to Council and the Central Sydney Planning Committee.

Council endorsed the proposal in March 2021 and it will be sent to the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment for final approval.

Main documents

Amended Planning ProposalPDF · 1.23 MB · Last modified
Draft Sydney Development Control Plan Open and Creative Planning ReformsPDF · 840.15 KB · Last modified
Appendix A of the Draft Sydney Development Control PlanPDF · 3.75 MB · Last modified
Draft Technical GuidelinesPDF · 701.73 KB · Last modified

Background documents

Open Creative City Discussion Paper October 2017PDF · 15.32 MB · Last modified
Report Considered by the Planning and Development CommitteePDF · 6.95 MB · Last modified
Information Relevant ToPDF · 1.99 MB · Last modified
Report Considered by the CSPCPDF · 616.23 KB · Last modified
Resolution of CouncilPDF · 85.1 KB · Last modified
Resolution of CSPCPDF · 87.44 KB · Last modified
Gateway Letter from DoPiE to CoSPDF · 85.54 KB · Last modified
Gateway DeterminationPDF · 84.54 KB · Last modified

How you can give feedback

The exhibition closes 5pm, Wednesday 18 November 2020.

There are 3 ways you can be involved and provide us with your feedback:

  1. Complete our online form

    Online form

  2. Email or post your submission

    Email submissions to [email protected] or by post to:

    Senior Project Manager
    Strategic Engagement and Community Relations 
    City of Sydney
    Town Hall House, Level 7, 456 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

    Title your email: Open and Creative Planning Reforms 

  3. Talk to us

Maria Pavlides

Senior Project Manager, Community Consultation

Julie Prentice

Specialist Planner, Strategic Planning & Urban Design

Feedback may be published in publicly available reports at the end of the consultation period. Your name or organisation's name may appear in these reports with your feedback attributed. If you would like your feedback to be kept confidential, please let us know when making your submission.

Please contact us if you can't access the documents.

Other ways you can give feedback

A woman points to a consultation board while others watch. Sydney Your Say
DecorativeGovernance & decision-makingCommunity engagement