MUSICIANS including Paul McCartney and Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason are backing a Bill to protect local venues, as more than a third are estimated to have closed in the past decade.

It would give local councils greater power in planning decisions and developers would have to consider nearby clubs, bars and gig venues before building properties.

They could be forced to fund extra soundproofing for venues to avoid complaints from new residents.

Speaking outside Parliament yesterday, Pink Floyd drummer Mr Mason urged the government to back the Agent of Change Bill introduced by Labour’s John Spellar.

“It’s more and more difficult to get a record deal now, it tends to be something you get much further along in your career and so, if you also lose the opportunity to make a modest living playing live, it's going to be extra tough," said Mr Spellar.

Billy Bragg, Chrissie Hynde, and The Kinks’s Ray Davies also lent their support.

The Bill, which is also supported by the Musicians Union, passed its first reading in the Commons yesterday.

Mr Spellar pointed out that many former industrial towns are hurt economically by venue closures.

Musicians Union general secretary Horace Trubridge said if left unchallenged the current situation could spell a decline in the British music industry as a whole.

“The Agent of Change principle offers some hope to those venues under threat from property developers and must be adopted nationwide as the first step in redressing this urgent problem,” he said.

Although the policy is included in planning guidance across Britain, it is not compulsory.

Last year, London Mayor Sadiq Khan added the principle to his draft London Plan while the Welsh government has pledged to introduce it in future planning policy.