Understand business noise requirements

Vibration and mixed-use developments 

Noise from gyms includes floor or wall vibrations or noise that transfer to noise-sensitive premises. In gyms where patrons are dropping weights, there are higher noise risks.

Consider the potential noise impacts of your development for mixed-use and connected buildings. 

You may need to submit an acoustic report with the Planning Permit for your gym. This will depend on the type of gym, the zoning of the land. To get advice, call our Planning team on 03 8290 3329.

Amplified music 

Amplified music is another common source of noise from gyms. Noise-limiting devices can help ensure that amplification does not exceed noise limits. You may also need good sound insulation.

Other options include:

• installing resilient flooring such as rubber floor finishes
• placing loudspeakers in appropriate positions
• limiting excessive low-frequency music.

Provide an acoustic report that confirms installation of a noise limiting system. 

Tenants operating a gym within a building

• Understand permit controls and your lease agreement.
• Consider if the gym is in a larger building that includes noise-sensitive uses.
• Understand the limitations of controlling impacts.
• Test the acoustic performance before designing an existing building fit-out

Landlords with a gym tenant

• Understand your responsibilities, especially if you are the permit holder.
• Understand your tenant’s proposal and risks associated with noise impacts.
• Consider more specific regulation through a lease agreement.
• Consult with owners' corporations where relevant.

Manufacturing businesses must comply with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Publication 1826. You must also consider General Environmental Duty under the Environmental Protection Act.

Acceptable noise from an industrial or commercial use depends on:

• the zone of the land and its surrounds
• existing background noise at a noise-sensitive use area
• existing cumulative noise impacts from other established industry.

A basic risk analysis can help you understand these factors:

• noise restrictions for planning schemes in industrial or commercial zones
• suitability of your site for the proposed scale and operation
• which direction your property faces
• the impact of adjacent noise-sensitive uses on late-night operating hours
• how operating hours, plant processes and weather can carry noise
• how to enclose noisy plants within a building
• attenuators for ducting and fans
• commercial vehicle access points and site routes
• noise impacts while vehicles are on and off site
• whether you need absorptive acoustic finishes or panels.

Operating plant, loading and dispatch areas

Provide a detailed acoustic report that considers:

• limiting hours to 7 am to 6 pm for mobile plant sources that cannot be controlled on site 
• expert advice on your compliance with after-hours noise limits
• reliable noise modelling of similar noise levels for fixed-plant sources.

Large industry or commercial uses

Provide a detailed acoustic report that considers:

• plant sources that run all day, not during operating hours
• plant source siting and its position
• mobile plant sources such as forklifts and delivery and waste trucks.

Combined large industry or commercial uses

Businesses within industrial or commercial estates may have cumulative noise impacts. Please include the impacts from these sites in your application.

The risk of impact may depend on the scale of your proposed business. Venues with live music and late-night trading hours are more likely make more noise than cafés, for example. 

If you are applying for a bar, hotel or nightclub, you will likely need to submit a Noise and Amenity Action Plan (NAAP) as a part of your Planning Permit. To confirm if you need a NAAP, contact our Planning officers on 03 8290 3329. 

Amplified music

Amplified music is the most common noise source for bars, hotels and nightclubs. Your building insulation and proposed type of music may restrict your operation.

You should consider:

• how to limit low-frequency music
• the suitability of your insulation for loud music and late-night trading hours
• using an acoustics consultant for sound insulation testing
• using accurate modelling for new buildings.

If you’re planning for higher levels of noise, you may need to consider:

• the location of live entertainment areas and loudspeakers
• controls such as acoustic glazing, door sound locks or acoustically isolated rooms
• restricting or prohibiting outdoor amplification and loudspeakers.

Noise limiters for live entertainment

Automatic noise-limiting devices electronically limit the volume of loud music and can help regulate tampering and auditing. However, you still need good sound insulation.

If noise limiters are ineffective or too costly, you may need other solutions, such as pipe lagging or vibration isolation.

An acoustic report can confirm that the noise limiting system was installed correctly.

Commercial zones and activity centres

Strategic planning focuses on commercial uses in specific areas. It is still common to find sensitive uses within these zones. The same music noise protections apply to all sensitive receptors, regardless of zoning.

Be aware of surrounding uses that may be sensitive to noise – within the zone and where it borders non-residential zones.

Background music in outdoor areas

Background music is defined under the Liquor Control Act, but all premises must still comply with noise limits under the EPA Publication 1826.

If sensitive land is close to a venue with external speakers, background music can still have excessive noise impacts. 

Liquor licensing

Your Liquor Licence may include conditions relating to noise and amenity. Your business must meet Planning Permit and license conditions.

Patron noise

Patron noise is not covered by any legislative controls, but you may add these to application:

• an acoustic report detailing patron impacts
• a Patron and Amenity Management Plan
• a limit on the number of patrons
• physical controls to address excessive noise impacts (boundary acoustic fencing).

Refrigeration and mechanical plants

Food and drink premises must consider the impacts of plant or mechanical noise, which come under the EPA Publication 1826. Your acoustic report should consider:

• what runs all day (e.g. refrigeration)
• kitchen exhausts and large fans and air-conditioners
• plant siting (especially on roofs) and whether sensitive receptors overlook the plant.

If we cannot assess your plant during the application phase, please recommend controls for pre-use assessment. These include:

• an acoustic consultant reviewing and approving plant selection and mitigation 
• testing all installed plant before the start of use.

We may request additional acoustic reports before or after starting your business, as a condition of the permit. 

Building fit-outs and leasing

For a food and drink premises within mixed use buildings and sensitive uses, you should investigate the sound insulation. Testing existing buildings can inform a fit-out design before construction. 

It is common for ceilings to be removed in pre-existing buildings for a fit-out. This can change the quality of the sound insulation. Consider this when assessing the risk of noise impacts and state your solution on the plans.

Before applying for a permit: 

• consider whether the building is suitable for the operation or surrounds any sensitive uses
• check if it is practical to add sound insulation controls within the base building shell before fit-out, ideally during planning application
• use experts to assess prospective properties for lease.