Developers should be forced to pay to soundproof music venues near new homes to prevent more closures, an MSP has told ministers.
Lewis Macdonald highlighted the burden placed on a number of entertainment businesses in Aberdeen due to noise complaints from new neighbours.
And he warned that without urgent action, the Scottish music scene would suffer badly.
In the last year, the Granite City has seen the closure of Downstairs on Holburn Street and Krakatoa bar had to fit six-foot-thick soundproofing.
Mr Macdonald said the issue was damaging the city’s music scene and
called on the Scottish Government to protect the sector.
He said: “Live music venues are an important part of the Scottish cultural scene and many Scottish bands and artists have gone onto international success after enjoying their first big break at a smaller music venue or a local pub.
“Sadly, more and more of these venues are facing closure or the prospect of spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on soundproofing because of new housing developments and new tenants moving into the area.
“Only last year, popular Aberdeen music venue Downstairs on Holburn Street was forced to close because of noise complaints from a new tenant, while Craig Adams, the owner of Krakatoa, on Trinity Quay, has had to spend £250,000 on soundproofing at the venue, as well as buying three flats upstairs to prevent noise complaints from potential tenants.”
Mr Macdonald has written to Planning Minister Kevin Stewart asking him to support pushing responsibility for soundproofing of an established venue onto developers.
This would see the agent of change principle embedded in the next version of Scottish Planning Policy.
Mr Macdonald added: “If more venues are forced to close, or to make prohibitively expensive changes, then the number of live bands in Aberdeen will fall, which will have its own effect on the city’s vibrant cultural scene.
“New developments in Scotland could be covered by the Agent of Change principle, which forces those making the change to pay for the costs of soundproofing the properties.
“In the case of new housing next to an established music venue, this would be the developer.
“Otherwise Aberdeen, and other cities in Scotland, could find themselves losing more and more live music venues.”
