Government pledge to consult on better protection for live music venues

Protecting established music venues from noise complaints from new developments has recently been the subject of debate in the House of Lords and questions in the House of Commons. In debate on the Planning and Infrastructrure Bill in the House of Lords earlier this month, several members noted that live music venues keep communities thriving and should be protected. MPs have also raised questions about the issue. James Cleverly, Conservative MP for Braintree asked the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government what is being done to protect venues. In response, Ministe of State Mathew Pennycock said "Following the recommendation made in the Licensing Taskforce report published in July, the government is exploring whether the ‘agent of change’ principle in the licensing regime should be strengthened to better protect existing licensed premises and residents. We intend to explore how we can improve the implementation of the ‘agent of change’ principle in the planning system, and will consult on a new set of national policies for decision-making later this year." Liz Jarvis, Liiberal Democrat MP for Eastliegh asked a similar question to the Department of Business and Trade, who replied "In April, the Government established the Licensing Taskforce, bringing together representatives from the hospitality industry to help shape reform. The Government’s response, published on 31 July, set out proposals for a new National Licensing Policy Framework designed to simplify outdated licensing rules and protect long-standing venues from noise complaints, which are particularly relevant to the night-time economy."