Uncertainty as govt’s live music venue list yet to be finalised
It’s been seven months since special-purpose legislation passed designating the CBD a ‘live music zone’, but concerns have been raised about developments being approved before a list of protected venues is finalised.
Legislation preventing the demolition of the Crown & Anchor pub passed in September 2024, which also created a new ‘live music venue area’ in the Adelaide CBD.
This zone grants protections to certain live music venues that are to be selected by Planning Minister Nick Champion.
Specifically, the Act prescribes that residential developments within 60 metres of a listed venue must be developed with noise attenuation measures.
In documents seen by InDaily, Minister for Planning Nick Champion sent a draft list of “Proposed Designated Live Music Venues” to stakeholders in October last year, but a finalised list is yet to be published.
In determining whether to designate a venue as a “live music venue”, the minister will consider a number of factors such as the extent to which the venue is used for live music, whether there is likely to be a residential development within 60 meters of the venue, whether the venue is a place of state or local heritage and more.
The proposed list was:
- The Austral
- Crown & Anchor Hotel
- The Crown and Sceptre
- The Cumby
- The Exeter Hotel
- Gilbert Street Hotel
- Grace Emily Hotel
- Hindley Street Music Hall
- The Hotel Metropolitan
- The Jade
- Jive
- Rhino Room
- Shotgun Willie’s
- The Stag
- The West Oak
You might like
Speaking to InDaily, Save the Cranker/Music Culture Adelaide strategy director Patrick Maher said his team had met with Planning Minister Nick Champion last year to present a draft list of live music venues in the CBD that would be appropriate for the final list.
Maher said he would’ve liked to have seen the list published “six months ago”.
“We’ve been badgering them for this long, sending emails and whatnot,” he said.
South Australian executive director of the Property Council of Australia Bruce Djite told InDaily that uncertainty in the planning system would have flow-on effects.
“The more uncertainty added to the planning system the less feasible projects become and the more expensive the end product for people already struggling with the lack of affordable housing options,” Djite said.
“The ripple and downstream effects of the government’s uncharacteristic intervention in the planning system certainly did not improve certainty.
“It would be fair to say, any potential buyer will be unable to conduct proper due diligence unless the list of venues is made available. The major issue with the list is that it can be amended by the Planning Minister, which rapidly erodes any certainty the list would otherwise provide.”
When InDaily approached Champion’s office for clarification about when the list would be finalised, we were redirected to Arts Minister Andrea Michaels’ office.
Stay informed, daily
A state government spokesperson told InDaily that: “Dedicated live music venues are incredibly important and the State Government is considering the best ways to safeguard significant live music pubs and which venues these protections should apply to”.
Under the Act, Champion is required to publish the list on the PlanSA website.
The entire CBD will be designated a ‘live music venue area’ under the Act.
Maher noted that since the Act was passed, a development that would have attracted the noise attenuation provision in the Act has been approved.
Specifically, an 18-storey tower with 80 build-to-rent apartments behind the historic Cumberland Arms Hotel on Waymouth Steet was approved by the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP).
The Grace Emily Hotel is one venue listed on the government’s draft list of Designated Live Music Venues, and is less than 60 metres away from the proposed development.
“Their key example of a venue that would be protected by this piece of legislation has fallen through the cracks because of the delay of the government in releasing the list,” Maher said.
Further, a prominent Hindley Street site on the same block as live music venue Jive was listed for sale this week, with agents advertising the “significant development opportunities” to would-be buyers.
Maher said the government’s delay in publishing the list would not dissuade buyers or developers in the city, rather “it’ll make them hurry up because they want to get in before the list is determined”.
“The government is at risk here of losing all the good faith they’ve gained by putting this legislation in place,” Maher said.
“The community has spoken quite vocally on this issue and the government responded. But if the ultimate result is that the list is delayed, effectively indefinitely, and the developments continue without regard for live music venues, then it’s just been lip service up to this point.”
