Plan to rejuvenate northern beaches night-life and make Brookvale a cultural hub

A bold plan to rejuvenate evening and night time culture on the northern beaches has been launched. Among the proposals include turning Brookvale into a cultural hub, transforming Manly’s laneways and changing planning laws to better sound proof homes.

It is hoped the policy will establish venues for music, micro breweries and theatre.

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A bold plan to rejuvenate evening and night time culture on the northern beaches’ has been launched.

Councillors unanimously backed the creation of a night time/twilight and culture management policy to facilitate the spread of the arts and culture across the beaches.

Among the early proposals put forward are:

— To transform Brookvale from an industrial hub to a cultural/creative centre.

— To amend planning laws to force developers to soundproof homes to guard against noise complaints.

— To take inspiration from Melbourne in transforming Manly’s lanes into cultural nightspots.

Northern Beaches Council deputy mayor Sue Heins introduced the proposal to boost the peninsula’s cultural offering.

“The sector is very important and we need to do what we can as a council to protect and enhance it,” she said.

Deputy Mayor Sue Heins said the policy would help turn the beaches into a cultural hub. Picture: AAP Image / Julian Andrews

Cr Kylie Ferguson said it may also kerb anti-social behaviour. Picture: Adam Yip

She argued that any future council strategy should take into consideration two separate evening economies: the twilight economy and night-time economy.

“Some people in our community don’t want to take part in night time activities, but more afternoon and evening activities and we need to recognise that,” she said.

“It also doesn’t all have to be about eating and drinking alcohol.”

She said by creating the policy it would better link up different council departments and outside agencies to boost our cultural scene.

She argued it would also help identify appropriate areas for twilight/night-time activities.

One area of great potential is Brookvale, she said.

One of the proposals is to take inspiration from Melbourne’s laneways to transform Manly laneways. Picture: Ray Reyes

“It is an area with traditionally a lot of manufacturing and industry but you can tell that is starting to change. There is a lot of potential.

“There are already four microbreweries in there and an artistic community.”

With warehouses and industrial properties becoming vacant she said there is potential for music venues, artists’ studios, galleries and even theatres.

Another proposal she put forward is to amend planning laws so the onus is on developers to sound proof homes, as has been trialled in cities such as San Francisco and Berlin.

“This will stop the complaints of residents who knowingly move into an area with music at night and complain. This should be mandatory moving forward,” she said.

Much of the focus of the policy is expected to be on Manly, which has over recent years struggled to balance its night time economy with the needs of residents.

Brookvale has been earmarked for transformation much like the former industrial heartlands of inner Sydney. Pictured is the thriving food markets at The Cannery, Rosebery.

One idea put forward is to make better use of Manly’s many laneways, as has been done successfully in Melbourne.

“We’ve seen in Melbourne the activation of laneways,” Cr Vincent De Luca said.

“In Manly there are numerous laneways that could be used at night for activities and as Cr Heins has suggested it doesn’t necessarily have to involve the consumption of alcohol.”

He said this could help tackle anti-social behaviour in trouble spots such as East Esplanade.

Cr Kylie Ferguson, who also backed the plan, said the policy could help tackle the anti-social behaviour of youths which has caused headlines in recent months.

It is hoped the policy will help develop more local bands such as Ocean Alley, pictured.

“This goes across all ages but especially the youth,” she said. “At a time when there is a lot of bored youth out there getting up to some tricks it is wonderful to see this will actually give them something to do and a place to go.”

A report will now be prepared for council in anticipation drawing up the policy.

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