Live Music Precincts

Cross-government collaboration on policy and regulatory changes to help implement live music precincts.

What is the ask?

Council is requesting the Victorian Government to collaborate on policy and regulatory initiatives as part of the implementation of live music precincts (LMP) to protect established and emerging live music activity in the municipality.

This would include partnering in the creation of the precincts, with the potential for Ministerial designation to fast-track the planning scheme amendment process, while still allowing for community consultation and engagement.

Areas of focus include:

• simplification of regulatory processes for live music events and venues and collaborative work on the designation and implementation of live music precincts and associated planning controls
• examining restrictive Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and planning regulations significantly impacting the capacity to deliver live music in and around our City
• regular consultation with relevant State bodies to discuss support needs identified through investigation as part of the live music precinct plan implementation.

What is the issue that this initiative will address?

Live music in metropolitan areas is a fraught activity – on the one hand it is hugely popular, culturally valuable and a significant driver of economic activity with documented benefits. On the other, it can conflict with amenity and residents’ experience of their area, particularly in built-up or developing areas.

The implementation of live music precincts aims to better integrate live music into built residential environments by managing noise and amenity impacts, simplifying regulation and compliance to benefit music venues and events as well as the community.

What is Council proposing?

The City of Port Phillip is a cultural hub for live music and supports this as a key part of our creative industries. To further support the live music industry, a Live Music Action Plan has been adopted which aims to recognise, support and future-proof live music within our city. The plan places significant focus on the industry’s recovery from COVID-19, especially for our venues, artists, industry practitioners and employees, and the audiences.

Council is seeking to progress a key initiative within the plan - the creation of live music precincts (LMP).

Port Phillip would be the first Victorian municipality to implement LMP. This follows the Victorian Government’s new planning controls in 2020, which allow councils to designate LMP through a planning scheme amendment.

The LMP project seeks to achieve:

• a formal Council position on where live music precincts would be best located to support the existing live music industry as well as providing opportunities for new spaces to emerge
• managing community expectations around perceived or real noise, amenity and patron behaviour impacts
• clear expectations for new and existing venues about noise management and attenuation
• streamlined compliance and complaint resolution with a collaborative multiple agency approach
• improvement of permitting processes, including removing red tape.

To realise this plan, Victorian Government support is crucial.

How does initiative align with the Council Plan and Victorian Government Priorities?:

Council:

Council Plan 2021-31: Vibrant Port Phillip - a City that has a flourishing economy, where the community and local business thrive, and Council maintains and enhances their reputation as one of Melbourne cultural and creative hubs. Council will

• invest in creative and cultural industries, including live music and the games development sector, through our Art and Soul – Creative and Prosperous City Strategy, in line with available budgets each year
• partner with Music Victoria to identify potential live music precincts that can be designated under the planning scheme to support live music in our City
• advocate to the Australian Government to support creative sectors including live music, film and game development.

Victorian Government:

The request involves providing significant support for the live music industry, which has been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 lockdowns. The industry is a major employer and attraction for local and interstate tourism.

This request would build on existing supports to the industry available under the Victorian Events Support Package and aligns with the principles identified in the Victorian Government’s Creative State Policy 2025.

How does the initiative assist the community to recover from COVID-19?

• contributes to the economy and place identity, both current and emerging
• increases opportunities for participation in the music industry through performance and regular programming in designated precincts
• removes red tape
• increases flexibility in operational models available to businesses
• supports local traders and businesses
• attracts tourists and visitors to the precincts
• creates short and long-term job opportunities
• fosters the music industry, leading to increased community connection and collaboration
• supports hospitality and music industries disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

Cost and current status?

Cost

While Council does not have any immediate funding requests to implement the Live Music Action Plan, we are requesting the Victorian Government to collaborate on policy and regulatory initiatives as part of implementing live music precincts to protect established and emerging live music activity in the municipality.

This would include partnering in the creation of the precincts, with the potential for Ministerial designation to fast-track the planning scheme amendment process, while still allowing for community consultation and engagement.

Status

• There are two stages to the project: Stage 1, which involves the policy development and adoption of precincts, and Stage 2 being the implementation of the precincts, involving the planning scheme amendment process. It is estimated that Council will consider adopting live music precincts mid-2023.
• The project is in the initial aspects of Stage 1, undertaking scoping and mapping work. Following this, the tasks required for Council to complete Stage 1 by adopting the LMP will be:
  • engaging technical consultants to assist officers in exploring the trends, drivers, issues, opportunities, costs and benefits of implementing live music precincts
  • identifying live music precincts within Port Phillip, including objectives and strategies for implementation
  • community engagement on live music precincts and implementation recommendations
  • finalisation of a Live Music Precinct Policy Document including Council vote on adoption of precincts
  • implementation, including planning scheme amendment process.