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Northbridge venue owners warn proposed noise caps will 'silence' entertainment precinct

WA government regulations set 90-decibel limit in core area, but opt-in scheme faces industry revolt

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources3 outlets
Nightclub owners in Perth's Northbridge entertainment precinct say the state government's proposed noise caps are so restrictive that no venue will voluntarily comply, warning the new regulations would effectively silence the area's nightlife.

The state government has proposed amendments to the Environmental Protection (Noise) Amendment Regulations 2026 that would set noise limits for the Northbridge Special Entertainment Precinct at 90 decibels in the core area and 79 decibels between 2am and 5am on weekends. Venues would also face a 79dB limit after midnight on weekdays.

Crucially, the regulations are opt-in, meaning venues can choose whether to adopt them. Industry owners say the limits are so low that no one will take up the offer.

Butterfly 73 owner and City of Perth councillor Chris Patten told this masthead the proposed levels were a significant departure from what venues had been led to expect. "Originally, the state government and DWER (Department of Water and Environmental Regulation) went out, and they did a lot of consulting and then in 2022 the City of Perth turned around and said, 'Okay, we're happy with 95 decibels, one meter from the boundary'," he said. "Everyone in the industry said that was fine. But then fast-forward a couple of years later, the regulations have now been published, but they've changed."

Currently, noise levels are measured inside residential premises in Northbridge at night, with a limit of 54dB. The proposed changes would move the measurement point to one metre from the boundary of an entertainment venue, a change Patten said he had initially welcomed. However, the new limits are far lower than the 95dB the industry had anticipated.

Patten said the existing rules were unclear: "There's never really been a clear guideline for the balance between venues and residents, between keeping Northbridge vibrant, but also allowing residents to rest. So currently, the noise regulations are a bit gray, and there's no real clear number that venues need to work to because at the moment it's basically: if it's too loud at a resident's property, then your system's too loud, and you need to turn it down."

Venue owners argue that a single car driving past on the street could exceed the proposed limits, making it impossible for live music and DJs to operate.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The proposed caps could fundamentally alter the character of Northbridge, Perth's premier nightlife and entertainment district.
  • An opt-in scheme that no venue joins would leave the current ambiguous noise rules in place, failing to resolve tension between residents and venues.
  • The dispute highlights the challenge of balancing urban vibrancy with residential amenity in increasingly dense city centres.

Background

Northbridge has long been a focal point of Perth's nightlife, but as residential development has increased in and around the precinct, conflicts between entertainment venues and new residents over noise have grown. The state government has been consulting on updated noise regulations since at least 2022. The current system measures noise inside homes at 54dB, but venues say this is impractical because it depends on factors outside their control. The proposed changes shift the measurement to the venue boundary, but at levels the industry says are too low.

Key Perspectives

[Entertainment venue owners]: They argue the proposed limits are unworkable and would make live music and club events impossible. They had agreed to a 95dB limit at the boundary during consultations, and say the government has shifted the goalposts. Because the regulations are opt-in, they predict no venue will adopt them. [Residents]: Some Northbridge residents have long complained about noise from venues. The proposed caps would give them clearer standards at the boundary, potentially improving their ability to sleep. [State government / DWER]: The government has not yet publicly responded to the criticism. The regulations aim to provide certainty for both residents and venues but appear to have landed at levels that satisfy neither side.

What to Watch

  • Whether the government revises the decibel limits before the regulations take effect.
  • The response from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) to industry concerns.
  • Potential for a compromise figure that would make the opt-in scheme attractive, or a move to make the regulations mandatory.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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