The City of Sydney has confirmed to The Music that it is in the process of developing new laws that will protect live music venues from noise complaints.
The Agent of Change policy, already used in Melbourne and one of the recommendations from last year's inquiry into New South Wales' music industry, protects live music venues from noise complaints by new residential developments and it could be introduced in Sydney later this year.
"‘Agent of change’ is a fairer method of managing entertainment and residential noise, protecting live music venues and preserving residential amenity, which has been adopted successfully overseas," a City of Sydney spokesperson told The Music.
"Under this system, new residential developments near existing entertainment venues need to be designed and built to manage the noise of the existing venue.
"Conversely, new entertainment venues are required to protect existing residential properties from the noise it makes. This will be accompanied by new planning controls and easy-to-understand noise compliance guidelines to improve certainty for both venues and residents."
The news comes after a reported dispute between the City and historic venue, Kings Cross Hotel (KXH).
According to The Daily Telegraph, the 107-year-old venue has been ordered to shut down its rooftop due to noise complaints by residents who have moved in only two months ago.
Kings Cross Hotel owners and hospitality company, Solotel, has reportedly refused to cooperate with a 28-day trading ban on the rooftop which was meant to commence two weeks ago.
"KXH has not altered its operation or any other measure that would change the noise that comes from the venue and if anything, since the lockout came into effect, the amount of live entertainment and patron numbers has decreased over the longer term," Solotel told The Music in a statement.
"KXH plans to continue to run its operation as it has been doing as we believe that we are fully compliant.”
However, the City has told The Music that it did not order the venue to close its rooftop bar, but did issue "a noise abatement direction last month requiring the hotel to reduce the volume of amplified music in the rooftop bar, as it was considered offensive noise when staff attended the venue at 1.50am".
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