Centennial Vineyard owner John Large hopes to bring back A Day on the Green, concert events which attracted between 6000 and 8000 people to the Highlands for seven years for acts including Marcia Hines, Lionel Richie, Paul Kelly, Alicia Keys, Baby Animals and Noiseworks.

Councillors discussed the matter at the December 14, 2016 meeting but voted to defer it, in order to allow an objector time to respond to reports included in the development application (DA).

The DA requests temporary use of Centennial Vineyards for five outdoor concerts per year, between 2pm and 11pm. However, at the December 14 council meeting, Scott Lee of LEP Planning told councillors the applicant would agree to a 9pm finish as a positive gesture to mitigate noise concerns of nearby neighbours.

A council report noted the events would have positive social, economic and cultural impacts including increased tourism. It found noise impacts could be “appropriately mitigated and managed”.

Mr Large said A Day on the Green would have substantial benefits for the Southern Highlands. “It’s like a bottle of wine: you can look at it from a distance, but if it’s on the table and you can try it out, you’re on board,” he said. “It’s of great economic benefit, a chance for people to stay in this beautiful area and support local businesses – it’s a win win.”

However, Mr Large said the idea of a 12-month temporary approval, one of the temporary time approval periods floated by councillors at the December meeting, would be “unworkable” as event and traffic planning required significant investment.

The report recommended the proposal be approved by councillors at the February 8 council meeting, however, the outcome was not known at the time of going to print. See next week’s Highlands Post for more on the decision.