Following BIGSOUND’s recent announcement lineup for 2013, with Billy Bragg and Amanda Palmer topping the bill, the area the industry conference calls home, Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley, has been labelled the “envy of the nation” according to a recent study published by urban planning researchers.
As The Brisbane Times points out, a study recently undertaken by Queensland’s Griffith University has found that the local live music hub has successfully managed to incorporate the interests of both live music venues and residential developers to create a balanced and thriving social infrastructure that has turned the rest of the country green with envy.
Conducted by Griffith Urban Researcher Matthew Burke and Town Planner Amy Schmidt, the inquiry compared the overall success of Fortitude Valley with that of live music precints in Melbourne and Sydney and “examined the effectiveness of the designated precinct as a means of protecting the live music scene, while encouraging residential development.”
The Valley boasts an impressive layout of venues and bars all within convenient cultural proximity to each other. The area attracts an average 50,000 punters each weekend night to its host of pubs and clubs, including Rics’, The Zoo, Blackbear Lodge, Alhambra Lounge, and The Tivoli. “[Fortitude Valley] shows what is possible through a well-managed collaborative planning exercise.” – Matthew Burke, Urban Researcher
After interviewing club owners, musicians, policy makers, and residents across three capital cities, the results were published in the May edition of Australian Planner journal titled ‘How Should We Plan And Regulate Live Music In Australian Cities? Learning From Brisbane.”
“Nobody deserves to live with thumping drum and bass interrupting a good night’s sleep,” remarked Dr Burke, “But equally, long-established live music venues shouldn’t be forced to close because a poorly sound-proofed apartment complex is built next door.”
“What interested us were the planning process involved, with residents groups, live music venue operators, regulators and other working to find and implement better solutions,” Dr Burke said of the study. “It shows what is possible through a well-managed collaborative planning exercise.”
Despite the Valley now boasting one of Australia’s leading live music scenes in which the war between venue and developer seems to have been resolved, with events like BIGSOUND continuing to elevate Brisbane’s national cultural status, it wasn’t so much the case 10 years ago.
Brisbane came close to losing the very essence of its live music scene when Fortitude Valley came close to dissipating at the turn of the century due to conflict with residential developers and a lack of government planning. “The heart of Brisbane’s live music scene was under threat,” Dr Burke said of the issues occurring between live music venues and residential developments in the early oughties.“All Australian cities still present many planning problems. But as our research shows, it’s nothing that some good planning work shouldn’t be able to solve.” – Michael Burke, Urban Researcher
The Brisbane Times further explain that “following a long-running dispute between venues and residents in the area, Brisbane City Council implemented The Valley Music Harmony Plan in 2004,” an initiative spearheaded by the Bickles, owners of the The Empire Hotel and Cloudland.
Included in the plans to reinvigorate Brisbane’s music scene were the pans to stamp out alcohol fuelled violence, which led to the implementation of the Drink Safe Precincts Scheme (DSP) in 2011, which saw higher policing of venues at clubs and music venues, greatly reducing the threat of intoxicated late-night violence.
New developments led to the alteration of noise restriction policies, planning and liquor licensing laws, while property developers – not established music sites – were required to invest in noise-cancelling insulation.
The study, says Dr. Burke, demonstrates how the Fortitude Valley Entertainment Precinct represents a model of harmony between legislators and music culture, something that other cities can (and should) learn from. “The future of the live music and the night-time economy in all Australian cities still present many planning problems. But as our research shows, it’s nothing that some good planning work shouldn’t be able to solve,” concluded Dr. Burke.
One city that’s decided that it’s time for a bit of re-invigorating for their own live music scene is Sydney. In light of the drama surrounding legendary pub The Annandale Hotel going into receivership, Leichhardt Mayor Byrne initiated plans to launch his own live music precinct, modelled after that of Fortitude Valley, to run through Sydney’s Parramatta Road.
Mayor Byrne soon found unanimous support from local council, including Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore and her Live Music Task Force, as well as local Marrickville Town Council, to implement strategies aiming to further improve Sydneys live music scene, reducing the red tape and easing the financial burden placed on live music venues.
