Special Entertainment Precincts

Being in a SEP means venues and local businesses can operate in an area which is set up to support more activity and have greater certainty through more consistent trading hours and sound controls. Liquor licence incentives such as reduced fees and additional hours for venues which put on live entertainment also apply in a SEP. Extended hours may give businesses more flexibility and the opportunity to open later for festivals or special events and capitalise on increased footfall. If you wish to know more about SEPs in your area, please contact your local council.

Local councils are responsible for identifying and establishing SEPs.

A local council identifies a SEP by publishing a precinct management plan, created in consultation with community, venues, businesses and government, on their website and amends its Local Environmental Plan (LEP) through a planning proposal submitted to the Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure.

In limited circumstances, and either at the request of OR with endorsement of a council, the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces may amend a local environmental plan through a State Environmental Planning Policy.

Purple Flag accreditation will place your precinct on the international map as an area that is known to be a safe, diverse and vibrant place to visit at night. The Purple Flag program and application process can foster greater collaboration, creating opportunities for businesses, governments, and community members to connect and strengthen local networks.

Councils are encouraged to consider Purple Flag accreditation during the initial planning of a Special Entertainment Precinct.

Learn more about the application and accreditation process.

The Guidelines set out mandatory steps councils that wish to establish a SEP must follow to establish, operate, revoke or suspend a SEP.

They include the following information about SEPs:

• how to use the Guidelines and how they apply
• about SEPs
• key principles of SEPs
• definition of key terms
• legislation
• summary of sound management and trading hours in a SEP
• steps and process for establishing a SEP:
  • Step 1: Establishing a SEP
  • Step 2: Operating and monitoring the SEP
  • Step 3: Suspending or revoking the SEP

Section 203 of the Local Government Act states that the Minister for Local Government may publish guidelines about the establishment, operation, revocation or suspension of SEPs.

The Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner developed the Guidelines in close consultation with NSW Government agencies including the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, Liquor & Gaming NSW, NSW Police Force, Transport for NSW, Sound NSW, the Environmental Protection Authority and Office of Local Government NSW.

The scope and content of the Guidelines was informed by early engagement with over 20 councils and submissions received during public exhibition from councils, NSW Government agencies, individuals and industry in September 2024.

The Acoustic Toolkit is an optional technical resource that supplements the Guidelines with detailed information on sound management for councils. It aims to help local councils develop the sound criteria required as part of a precinct management plan. It includes:

• an overview of considerations and approach to developing sound criteria for a SEP
• the aims and objectives of the SEP/s, along with key principles that inform the development of criteria and requirements
• sample / template sound criteria for different development types, including venues and sensitive receivers (e.g. residential, childcare, and hospitals), that councils can adapt with specialist advice to their local environments and include in their precinct management plan
• sound criteria for noise-sensitive development and building sound insulation
• requirements and procedures adopted for development applications
• approach to assessing development compliance and responding to complaints about noise impact.

The Handbook provides optional guidance and best-practice advice on managing SEPs and contains tips for each of the mandatory steps contained in the Guidelines. It contains advice about:

• why a council would establish a SEP
• how to establish a SEP – process, timeframes and setting up a SEP for success
• roles and responsibilities
• best practice advice for each of the steps to establish, operate and suspend or revoke a SEP
• other resources available from NSW Government
• definitions and glossary of acronyms
• strategic considerations for site selection
• matrix for precinct selection
• ensuring safety in SEPs.