London

London Mayor vows to protect music venues

By Nikkie Sutton

- Last updated on GMT

London Plan: Sadiq Khan's pledge to help music venues
London Plan: Sadiq Khan's pledge to help music venues

Related tags Nightclub

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has vowed to protect London venues with an agent-of-change principle, following a row over a Mayfair cinema.

Khan issued a statement on his Facebook page, confirming he would introduce the principle in the next London Plan, which sets out an economic, environmental, transport and social framework for development.

The Facebook post said: “Developers would be responsible for ensuring their new developments don’t threaten the future of existing venues.

“That would mean developers building flats near existing venues will need to ensure that residents are not unduly affected by sound from the venue and that may include paying for soundproofing.

“I’m very pleased to hear that Westminster Council included this principle when the planning application was first submitted in 2013 and is taking the necessary steps to protect a cinema that makes a significant contribution to the character of the area, and is a real cultural gain.”

Agent of change

The agent-of-change principle focuses on when a person or a business, which is responsible for the change, is responsible for managing the impact of the change.

In 2014, The Morning Advertiser launched the Make Some Noise campaign​ in a bid to unite the trade to lobby the Government to implement the agent-of-change principle.  

The campaign resulted in the Government strengthening planning guidance issued to local councils to encourage developers building homes near pubs to install soundproofing​.

Earlier this year, a famous live music pub in London won a legal battle against the development of a nearby block of flats​ in a decision that was hailed a landmark victory for grassroots music venues.

Trade association backing

Chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) Kate Nicholls commented on the Khan’s statement and said: “The mayor’s commitment to the agent-of-change principle is a very welcome step towards the protection of nightclubs and venues that are both integral economically and cherished socially.

“The ALMR has been pushing hard for this and has long argued that nightclubs, bars and other late-night music venues are an absolutely essential element to the UK’s wider music scene as well as fantastic drivers of growth in town and city centres.

“The ALMR will be liaising with the mayor’s office to continue to push for protection for the capital’s late-night venues to allow late-night bars and venues to flourish.”

What does this mean for London pubs? Email avxxvr.fhggba@jeoz.pbz​ with your thoughts.

Related topics Property law

Related news

Spotlight

Follow us

Pub Trade Guides

View more

The MA Lock In Podcast

Join us for a Lock In