THE Hobart City Council looks set to regulate where strip clubs can be established and what signage they can use.

Deputy Lord Mayor Eva Ruzicka asked for a report in March on planning provisions that could make nightclubs and associated activities discretionary or prohibited "within a reasonable radius" of any school, public worship place or community facility.

A senior planner reported back this week that sexually explicit adult entertainment could become discretionary in some areas.

The planner said each proposal could be considered on its merits.

Ald Ruzicka said the planner suggested the council require proposals be at least 200m from residential zones or land used for a primary or secondary school, childcare centre or place of worship unless it could be demonstrated that the use "would not be detrimental".

The planner said the external appearance of any building used for sexually explicit adult entertainment should not be detrimental to the streetscape or appearance of the building.

No form of public address or sound amplification should be audible from outside the building.

Ald Ruzicka said the planner said signage must only indicate the name and nature of the business using text with no graphics or images.

However, Ald Ruzicka this week had the item deferred to the next meeting of council's planning committee to enable staff to consider legal advice she had received on the issue.

That advice suggests council could strengthen the planning provisions "so everyone knows where they stand".

Ald Ruzicka said the city council's planning scheme was written in the 1970s and 1980s when values were different.

She said back then the council would not have expected a strip club to be established within 200m of a girls' school.

And she said people did not want to get "up in arms" each time a strip club was proposed.

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