Port Phillip is a step closer to becoming home to Victoria's first live music precincts following last night's adoption of Council's Live Music Action Plan (LMAP).
The Plan includes working with the Victorian Government and Music Victoria to identify and create live music precincts. Planning permit controls, unique to these precincts, would support the live music industry without exposing residents or businesses to unreasonable noise.
Mayor Louise Crawford said supporting the struggling live music industry in areas such as St Kilda will be balanced with providing a clear pathway to help resolve any noise complaints.
"This is about fostering harmony, particularly in areas where new developments without adequate soundproofing are planned near already established live music venues," Cr Crawford said.
"Live music brings huge economic and cultural benefits to our City. So it's crucial we do what we can to ensure Port Phillip continues to be known as a beacon for live music while ensuring current - and future - residents don't lose their prized amenity."
Council will work with its partners on developing planning scheme amendments requiring new residential uses in music precincts to take existing or potential venues into account, extending the Victorian Government's Agent of Change principle to a whole-of-precinct approach.
Under the changes, guidelines and avenues available to residents for appropriate complaints would be provided to promote quicker resolutions. This would be complemented by noise management guidelines for venues setting out requirements and potential solutions, such as the positioning of sound systems, directional speakers and limiting devices.
The Live Music Action Plan is a key initiative of Port Phillip Council's Art and Soul Creative and Prosperous City Strategy 2018-22. Other LMAP initiatives include:
- Promoting potential collaborations for musicians with game developers, film production, events and Council services and maintaining a registry of local musicians to encourage local programming
- Establishing a First People's Toolkit program to support musicians and music businesses
- Ensuring live music event opportunities are promoted broadly throughout the community, including participation, funding and permitting opportunities
- Committing to consistent monitoring of the noise and amenity impact from live music events, while aspiring to be a city of music festivals
- Ensuring diversity of programming within all Council live music events and incentivising diversity of live music performance, including jazz, opera, musicals, choirs and classical performance.
To view the LMAP, visit Council meetings and agendas.
Brisbane City Council successfully launched Australia's first live music precincts in 2006 to protect Fortitude Valley's live music industry.
