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NEW GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION PASSED PROTECTING UK MUSIC VENUES FROM DEVELOPERS

Council planners will have to factor in noise impact from neighbouring venues

New government legislation aimed at protecting UK music venues from nearby developments will be introduced next month.

The regulations, which come into effect on 6th April, will require councils to consider noise issues that might arise from new residential developments close to existing venues.

“Local planning authorities will have to consider noise impacts on new residents from existing businesses under an amended permitted development right,” wrote the Music Venue Trust on Facebook.

They continued: “Permitted development rights have been extended in recent years and allow certain developments to take place without the need to go through the full planning system. The new regulations mean developers are now required to seek prior approval on noise impacts before a change of use from an office to residential building can be carried out.

In short – you can’t change offices to flats any more if a music venue is nearby, developers will need to work with the local authority and the music venue to ensure that live music is protected.”

The new legislation stops short of introducing an “agent of change” principle, which would place the onus on developers to mitigate against potential problems when building new homes close to nightclubs and music venues.

London has lost just over a third of its grassroots music venues since 2007, according to report by the Mayor’s Music Venues Taskforce