This initiative provides long-term certainty to entertainment venues, developers and residents by balancing the needs of a vibrant nightlife with opportunities for new housing in Perth’s growing city centre.
Overview
Northbridge is recognised as the State’s premier entertainment precinct, known for its diverse range of entertainment venues and live music scene. The new planning and noise management framework will:
- Protect and support existing and new entertainment venues.
- Provide clarity for developers and new residential projects.
- Safeguard Northbridge’s role as a lively, mixed-use precinct.
A key aspect of the precinct will be the introduction of strategic noise levels across designated ‘core’ and ‘frame’ areas of Northbridge.
The new noise levels for the external boundary of entertainment venues will be:
- 90dB(C) in the ‘core’ area of the precinct; and
- 79dB(C) in the ‘frame’ area of the precinct.
A 56-metre transition zone around the ‘core’ acknowledges that some areas of the ‘frame’ will experience core noise levels.
New planning provisions within the Special Entertainment Precinct will require both entertainment venues and new residential developments to provide noise attenuation measures.
Reforms are currently underway to the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997, which will provide entertainment venues the option to apply for approval to operate at the new noise levels in excess of the current assigned noise levels (which are typically 54dB(C)).
Reform components
The reforms consist of three components:
- An amendment to the City of Perth City Planning Scheme No.2 to introduce a special control area to require:
- New sensitive uses (e.g. student housing, short-stay accommodation, residential apartments) to incorporate noise attenuation measures.
- New entertainment venues to include soundproofing and construction measures to comply with the strategic noise levels.
- Clear guidance on where short-stay and residential development can occur.
- Proposed amendments to the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997 (Noise Regulations) to allow entertainment venues to apply to emit the new noise levels.
- Current regulations typically allow noise up to 54 dB(C).
- Under the reforms, venues that opt in will be permitted up to 90 dB(C) in the core and 79 dB(C) in the frame
- The Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) has prepared a Position Statement on Special Entertainment Precincts. This will guide other local governments wanting to pursue a Special Entertainment Precinct for their community in the future.
Amendment No. 41 to the City of Perth’s City Planning Scheme No. 2
The Minister for Planning, as the final decision maker, approved Amendment No. 41 to the City of Perth City Planning Scheme No.2, subject to modifications. The Amendment will set the strategic noise levels across the Northbridge Special Entertainment Precinct as follows:
- 90dB(C) in the ‘core’ area of the precinct; and
- 79dB(C) in the ‘frame’ area of the precinct.
A transition area of 56 metres around the ‘core’ area recognises that areas of the ‘frame’ will be exposed to ‘core’ levels of entertainment noise.
Amendment No.41 introduces a Special Control Area into the Scheme which requires all new sensitive land uses – such as short-stay accommodation, student housing and new apartments – to incorporate noise attenuation features to respond to the strategic noise levels. New short-stay accommodation and student housing will be capable of being considered in the ‘core’ and ‘frame’ area of the precinct, and new residential will be able to be considered in the ‘frame’ area, including transition area.
The Special Control Area also requires new entertainment venues to incorporate appropriate levels of attenuation into their construction to ensure they do not exceed the strategic noise levels.
The Special Control Area Plan shows the precinct boundaries.
Click on the below image to view full screen
The amendment will be modified by the City of Perth, in accordance with the Minister for Planning’s decision, then formally incorporated into the Scheme.
Proposed amendments to the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997
Proposed amendments to the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997 will provide for certain entertainment venues to emit to the new strategic noise levels, through a new venue approval process.
Work on the amendments is underway.
WAPC Position Statement: Special Entertainment Precincts
A WAPC Position Statement: Special Entertainment Precincts will provide guidance to local governments on the establishment of special entertainment precincts and minimum requirements for scheme provisions.
Public consultation on a draft Position Statement was undertaken in 2020, and it is anticipated that the draft Position Statement will be presented to the WAPC for final endorsement once the amendments to the Noise Regulations are further progressed.
The draft WAPC Position Statement: Special Entertainment Precincts is available to read.
Frequently asked questions
Why do we need a different approach to managing noise in Northbridge?
Show moreNorthbridge is home to a diverse mix of land uses, including entertainment venues that contribute to Perth’s vibrant night-time economy. This mix of land uses can sometimes lead to unintended conflict between entertainment and residential uses.
As Perth moves to accommodate a growing population and continues to develop, established entertainment and live music venues are likely to find it increasingly difficult to comply with the current Noise Regulations.
These reforms maintain the character of entertainment areas and provide an increased level of assurance to venue operators and the live music industry, while also facilitating opportunities for short and long-term accommodation options.
These reforms set amenity expectations up-front and seek to balance these competing objectives by ensuring efforts are taken by venue operators and developers to manage noise impacts.
Designating the Northbridge area as a special entertainment precinct will help provide better protection for existing and new entertainment venues and clear and consistent guidelines for new sensitive development.
How is noise currently managed in Northbridge?
Show moreThe Noise Regulations currently set legally enforceable noise limits for music, typically 40 dB(A) [approx. 54 dB(C)] for noise received at residences in the Northbridge area at night.
Noise levels are measured at the receiving premises and are based on the type of premises receiving the noise and when. This means that as residential development encroaches on entertainment venues, venues must reduce their noise levels to comply. For many operators, this poses a significant risk to ongoing operations.
While the current Noise Regulations assess noise emissions using statistical parameters in dB(A), for entertainment precincts, it is considered that equivalent continuous levels [Leq] in dB(C) are more appropriate, as this captures variability in music levels and the impact of low frequency noise which is dominant in the music noise from venues. For comparison purposes the current ‘typical’ assigned levels for music noise emissions in Northbridge allow up to 40 dB(A) Leq, which is approximately 54dB(C).
Noise emission levels from Northbridge entertainment venues typically exceed 40 dB(A) at the boundary of the venue, so many existing entertainment venues within Northbridge would not be expected to be able to comply if a noise sensitive development were to be built, for example, next door.
How do these noise emission levels compare to other jurisdictions?
Show moreThe proposed reforms will make Northbridge equal to the most progressive jurisdictions in Australia for management of entertainment noise. For comparison purposes, 90 dB(C) is the external music noise level permitted in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, which has Australia’s most progressive music noise regulations.
How will existing entertainment venues in Northbridge benefit from the reforms?
Show moreThe reforms proposed to the Noise Regulations are designed to be opt-in, meaning those venues that are not experiencing concerns from neighbours about noise can continue to operate under the existing regulatory regime.
However, if a new noise sensitive land use were to be built next door, they would be held to a typical noise limit of 40 dB(A) [approx. 54 dB(C)]. Many venues would struggle with this, which is a risk to their operations.
These reforms balance the onus of attenuation between entertainment venues and receivers and provides entertainment venues with a certain and consistent emission requirement of 90 dB(C) within the ‘core’ and 79 dB(C) within the ‘Frame’.
The new permitted noise emission levels are significantly higher than the typical levels required by the current Noise Regulations. The reforms are easier for entertainment venues to implement and understand, with fixed noise limits regulated at the boundary of the venue instead of the receiving premises, meaning that compliant entertainment and live music venues can play music with certainty that external factors will not affect their operations. Venues can opt-in to the noise reforms if and when they think it’s in their interests to seek approval under the new system.
Entertainment venues that host temporary, one-off events can still seek approval to temporarily exceed the new noise emission levels through the existing Noise Regulations.
Can special entertainment precincts be considered for other local government areas?
Show moreWhile Northbridge has been established as the State’s first special entertainment precinct, these reforms can potentially be considered in other suitable areas. A WAPC Position Statement: Special Entertainment Precincts will set out the considerations for local governments that may wish to establish a special entertainment precinct. It is anticipated that the draft Position Statement will be presented to the WAPC for final endorsement once the amendments to the Noise Regulations are further progressed.
What do these reforms mean for existing residents within Northbridge?
Show moreAll new developments, including entertainment venues and residential buildings, will be required to incorporate design and construction standards to minimise the impact of entertainment noise.
New noise sensitive developments will also be required to have a notice on title to inform potential buyers of the possibility for higher noise levels in the precinct.
What do the reforms mean for new development?
Show moreAll new developments, including entertainment venues and residential buildings, will be required to incorporate design and construction standards to minimise the impact of entertainment noise. New noise sensitive developments will also be required to have a notice on title to inform potential buyers of the possibility for higher noise levels in the precinct.
Why wasn’t ‘agent of change’ implemented as was previously proposed?
Show more'Agent of change’ gives preference to residential developments or music venues depending on who was there first. Agent of change was originally proposed through a 2018 Discussion Paper, however, many submitters raised concerns about this approach and further investigation determined it wasn’t the preferred option for a number of reasons:
- While it can serve to protect existing entertainment venues from land use conflict it can restrict new venues from being established and is inflexible when venue operations change.
- An ‘agent of change’ approach risks the area transitioning over time to a predominantly residential neighbourhood, and reduces the ability for entertainment venues to establish and evolve.
- In a precinct like Northbridge, it is very difficult to fairly implement because of cumulative noise from multiple venues.
Will there be further stakeholder consultation?
Show moreThe proposed reforms have undergone extensive public consultation since 2018, when DPLH, on behalf of the Western Australian Planning Commission and DWER, released a joint discussion paper. The paper was available for an eight-week public comment period and 64 submissions were received.
In late 2019, DPLH released its draft Position Statement: ‘Special Entertainment Precincts’ for public feedback and around the same time DWER released a consultation paper for a 12-week public comment period and 70 submissions were received.
The City of Perth advertised Amendment 41 to its City Planning Scheme in 2021, which has now been approved by the Minister for Planning, subject to modifications.
To bring full effect to the Northbridge Special Entertainment Precinct, the State Government is currently preparing amendments to the Noise Regulations and information regarding this process will be made available when this work is complete.
When do these reforms commence?
Show moreThe Minister for Planning has approved Amendment 41 to the City of Perth City Planning Scheme No. 2 subject to modifications. The City of Perth will now undertake the modifications required by the Minister’s decision and submit the amendment for final endorsement and gazettal. Once gazetted all new sensitive land uses within the precinct, such as short-stay accommodation, student housing and new apartments, will be required to incorporate noise attenuation features to respond to the strategic noise levels.
To bring full effect to the Northbridge Special Entertainment Precinct, the State Government is concurrently preparing proposed amendments to the Noise Regulations. Only once the proposed changes to the Noise Regulations are implemented will entertainment venues be able to apply for a venue approval to emit the new noise levels.
The Western Australian Planning Commission will finalise its draft Position Statement: Special Entertainment Precincts once the amendments to the Noise Regulations are progressed.
Where can I find more information on the Special Entertainment Precinct for Northbridge
Show moreEnquiries relating to the reforms and how it relates to the land use planning framework for Northbridge can be forwarded via email to: infrastructure@dplh.wa.gov.au.
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