Sydney Live Music Precinct To Take Lessons From Brisbane’s Valley

A proposal to turn a section of Sydney's Parramatta Road into a Live Music And Cultural Precinct will go before Leichhardt Council as the 'Annandale Mayor' Darcy Byrne continues his live music campaign.

Byrne, who has put himself front and centre of the live music debate since the Annandale Hotel went to the receivers, had signalled his intentions to revitalise the section of Sydney's inner west and today outlined the proposal's specifics. It comes after he pushed through his live music-skewed 'Good Neighbour' policy and the implication of past councils in anti-music behaviour.

The Precinct Proposal says that the Council should identify and implement the successful elements of the development control plan which oversees Brisbane's live entertainment district at Fortitude Valley.

As part of the Parramatta Road control plan, Byrne indicated today that he'll be seeking sound insulation requirements for new residential and commercial developments, increased noise allowances for music venues, extended trading hours for licensed premises and a streamlined approval process for applications related to live music.

The earliest the Mayor can put the proposal before council is at the next ordinary meeting, which is Tuesday 26 March. If the council endorses in principle, negotiations will then begin between the neighbouring Sydney City and Marrickville Councils. The Brisbane City Council will also be consulted over the control implementations in Fortitude Valley.

“I know anecdotally and talking to people in the industry that that the development control plan for Fortitude Valley has been a success,” Byrne told theMusic.com.au today.

He will encourage discussions with Queensland peak music body QMusic, but “in the end it was Brisbane City Council and State Government that implemented those controls, so they have to be our first point of call.”

The Mayor believes that he is “building momentum” towards reforms. “I get the sense that there is a growing awareness in the government and the community that something needs to be done to save live music.”

One of the intended outcomes of the New South Wales Government's $10 billion WestConnex motorway project, is the revitalisation of the Parramatta Road area. Today the Mayor said that the project could take a decade and argued that the area could gain new life with tourist and young people in a matter of months. “Music not motorways,” he said.

Representatives from NSW Police and the Australian Hotel's Association NSW branch have been approached for comment.