This Brisbane Venue’s Noise Solution Has Residents Seriously Pissed

We’ve covered our fair share of venue and council disputes here at Tone Deaf. Usually, it’s a case of a venue coming under the thumb of the council or residents complaining about noise coming from a nearby venue.

But the bizarre and unfortunate case of what’s been dubbed the ‘Great Wall of Fortitude Valley’ has turned the traditional narrative on its head. There’s plenty of unhappy residents involved, but noise isn’t their gripe.

As the Brisbane Times reports, back in 2011, Fitzgibbons Hotels got council approval to extend Fringe Bar, a bar and venue located on Ann Street in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley. The venue had allegedly been experiencing noise complaints from nearby residents.

As a result, the owners returned last year with another request to erect a 9.5 metre wall on the border of the apartment. Fitzgibbons hoped that an “acoustic wall” erected around nearby apartments would block out any sound emanating from venues.

The problem, as you may have guessed, is the wall also completely blocks out any light. Local resident Ben Anderson used to be the proud inhabitant of a light-filled apartment in one of Brisbane’s most bustling areas, but now occupies a darkened space that more resembles a “tidy dungeon”.

So how did this happen? How does a venue just go ahead and build a wall in front of a residential establishment? According to the Brisbane Times, who first reported on the situation back in March, Brisbane City Council staff advised the venue owners on how to bypass the residents and receive approval.

Documents reportedly indicate planning officers believed the wall application would fail under the Heritage Place Code, but by suggesting the developers apply under the Sustainable Planning Act, it was only considered a “minor” change.

In the case of minor changes, developers are not required to tell anyone about their proposal. However, the council failed to tell anybody about what the owners had planned, either. Even residents weren’t told what was about to be built a metre from where they lived.

“Council officers provided professional advice during a formal pre-lodgement meeting with representatives of the Fringe Bar,” a council spokesman said. “These meetings are an integral part of the planning process and happen on a regular basis. Any suggestion the officers acted inappropriately is utterly rejected.”

The wall was erected over three weeks at the end of last year, leaving a building of miserable residents in its wake. Residents have since taken their complaints to court, with Mr Anderson saying attempts to negotiate with venue owners had failed.

“This is not fresh and new to us and negotiating went nowhere because people didn’t think we were serious,” he said. “This builds our case in a legal sense, rather than a ‘whinging neighbours’ sense. But we’re not unreasonable people at all.”

“Before this I had the natural light shining through to the back of my apartment,” Mr Anderson previously told the Brisbane Times. “You can’t see your toes now.” Mr Anderson paid $328,000 for the apartment back in 2012, but fears the value may have dropped by $40,000 because of the acoustic wall.

[include_post id=”453191″]

A court hearing was scheduled for 15th April and Lord Mayor Graham Quirk scheduled a sit-down with the residents and Fitzgibbons back in March. So what was the result of the meeting with council members and the legal action?

“The wall is still up,” local resident Jud Campbell tells Tone Deaf. “The wall was a complete slap in the face of all logic and community attitudes… completely walling in our only sources of natural light and air was beyond rude and lacked any sense on neighbourly spirit,” he says.

“The wall was unnecessary and was cynically called an ‘acoustic wall’ whilst at the same time the venue attached speakers to the wall. There had been no noise complaints for more than three years, so using that as justification was simply a lie.”

“I’m a musician, I live in the Valley, I expect noise from entertainment, it’s why I live here, but to have a venue needlessly and autonomously wall in your balcony has me considering a move.” Mr Campbell says residents were not consulted “in any way” before the wall was built.

“I have been a patron of the venue for many years and have close friends that perform and work there but their complete lack of any logic or decency means I will never return.”