With statistics emerging last year such as the worrying news that the UK had lost half of its late night music venues in the last decade, new government legislation has now been passed which aims to protect UK music venues in planning law.

The legislation will be put into practice from April 6. “Local planning authorities will have to consider noise impacts on new residents from existing businesses under an amended permitted development right,” said the Music Venue Trust in a statement on Facebook.

“Permitted development rights have been extended in recent years and allow certain developments to take place without the need to go through the full planning system. The new regulations mean developers are now required to seek prior approval on noise impacts before a change of use from an office to a residential building can be carried out.”