Northbridge entertainment precinct

To inform the decision-making process, acoustic consultants were engaged to produce the following technical reports on Northbridge noise levels, building attenuation and modelled noise impacts for various scenarios:

Low Frequency Music Noise Prediction - Northbridge Entertainment Precinct by Lloyd George Acoustics

Northbridge noise monitoring report by Lloyd George Acoustics

Northbridge residential building attenuation report by Gabriels Hearne Farrell

Why has the Northbridge special entertainment precinct been created?

The aim is to manage music noise in busy places, such as Northbridge, to provide certainty for entertainment venues and for new residential development in special entertainment precincts.

Why do we need a different approach to managing noise in Northbridge?

Northbridge 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 develops to accommodate a growing population, established entertainment and live music venues are likely to find it increasingly difficult to comply with the current noise restrictions.

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 entertainment 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 noise sensitive development.

How is noise currently managed in Northbridge?

The 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 receiver and are based on the type of premises receiving the noise and when. The closer residences are to a venue, the more an entertainment venue may need to reduce its music levels to comply with the noise limits. As residential development encroaches on an entertainment venue, music levels at the venue may need to be reduced – which can pose a significant risk to its operations.

While the current 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.

Noise emission levels from Northbridge entertainment venues may typically exceed 40 dB(A) at the boundary of the venue, so many existing entertainment venues may not comply if a noise sensitive development were to be built, for example, next door.

How do these noise emission levels compare to other jurisdictions?

The proposed reforms will make Northbridge one of the most progressive entertainment precincts for noise management in Australia. They will increase the regulated noise level for entertainment venues from a typical level of 40 dB(A) [approx. 54 dB(C)] at residential premises to 90dB(C) at the boundary of the entertainment venue.

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?

The reforms proposed to the Regulations are designed to be opt-in, meaning venues that are not experiencing noise concerns from neighbours 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)] which may be challenging for the operations of select venues.

The proposed permitted noise emission levels are significantly higher than the typical levels required by the current 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. Venues will be able to opt-in to the noise reforms if 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 Regulations.

What do these reforms mean for Northbridge residents?

The reforms recognise there are existing apartments in the Northbridge special entertainment precinct and the new noise reduction requirements do not apply retrospectively to these residences, so there are no noise reduction costs imposed on existing residents. While new residential development will not be permitted in the core of the precinct, existing residential property owners’ use and development rights are protected through provisions in the scheme.

What do the reforms mean for new development?

All 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 previously proposed?

‘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 several 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.

What is the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation’s role in the reforms? 

Music noise is regulated under the Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997, which are administered by the department and by local governments under delegation. Amendments to these Regulations are being developed by the department to support these reforms.

Has there been stakeholder consultation?

In 2018, DPLH, on behalf of the Western Australian Planning Commission, and the department prepared a joint discussion paper titled: Planning for entertainment noise in the Northbridge area - public consultation paper. The paper was available for an eight-week public comment period and 64 submissions were received.

In late 2019, the department released a consultation paper: Managing amplified music noise in entertainment precincts for a 12-week public comment period and 70 submissions were received.

The City of Perth also advertised Amendment 41 to its City Planning Scheme in 2021.

The department, DPLH and the City of Perth have conducted several information sessions and workshops with stakeholders. These discussions, as well as feedback from the department’s consultation papers, will inform the reforms and amendments to the Regulations.

What acoustic studies or noise modelling have been undertaken in Northbridge?

A total of 15 technical studies, measurements or reviews commissioned by the City of Perth or the department have been undertaken in Northbridge between 2012 and 2023.

Acoustic modelling and measurements have been done to characterise the noise emissions from entertainment venues in Northbridge, model different scenarios to assist in identifying the most appropriate boundary and noise levels, and examine the rate at which low frequency music noise reduces with distance from venues.

When do these reforms commence?

The 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 Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997. Only once the proposed changes to the 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 consider finalising its draft position statement on special entertainment precincts once the amendments to the Regulations are progressed.

Can special entertainment precincts be considered for other local government areas?

While Northbridge has been established as the State’s first special entertainment precinct, these reforms can be considered in other suitable areas.

The Western Australian Planning Commission position statement 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 commission for final endorsement once the amendments to the Regulations are further progressed.