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Anger over Northbridge noise, City of Perth reviews regulations

Giovanni TorreEastern Reporter

A NEW noise dispute has erupted in Northbridge while the City of Perth’s long-awaited noise regulations review is under way.

A notice posted on the bulletin board at an Aberdeen Street apartment complex provided residents City contact details to complain about noise from Jack Rabbit Slim’s.

The nightclub is located in the old post office opposite Russell Square, a venue that has served as a nightclub for more than two decades – previously known as The Post Office, The Office and Black Betty’s.

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Handwritten notes added to the typed notice claimed the nightclub was causing excessive noise until 3am and beyond.

Perth DJ Tim Lanzon issued an emphatic response via social media, claiming that the complainants would not be satisfied “until Jack Rabbit and every other venue in Northbridge is either closed or begins trading under a silent disco model”.

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A City of Perth spokesman told the Guardian Express the City had recently received two noise complaints about the nightclub.

It is understood that there was a one-off event on the Wednesday evening prior to the notice going up, and previously the venue had operated on Wednesday nights without attracting the ire of residents.

On May 3 this year, Perth Council resolved to conduct a sweeping review of noise regulations in Northbridge, including consultation with all affected stakeholders.

A City spokesman said on Friday that the consultation period is ongoing and the City “won’t pre-empt an outcome” of the review until it is completed.

In May long-time Perth councillor and hotelier Judy McEvoy described the review as “10 years in the making”.

The council voted unanimously to begin a review of noise management conditions in the City’s approvals process, prepare a new planning scheme policy on noise, and investigate setting “more appropriate” noise levels in Northbridge.

The council also voted to urge the State Government to establish Entertainment Precincts to “enable the setting of more appropriate noise levels to protect and enhance the state’s premier entertainment precincts, including Northbridge”.

Since 2011, the residential population of Northbridge has grown 21 per cent. Earlier this year Council noted that noise complaints had increased by 30 per cent in the same period.