City of Music: How Adelaide protected its live music venues through special purpose legislation 

Case study   

The Planning, Development and Infrastructure Amendment Act 2024 is the first Australian law to formally establish a designated “live music venue area” within a city centre. This special purpose legislation was created to save a landmark live music venue – the Crown and Anchor hotel – from demolition and development. 

This case highlights the delicate balance between cultural vibrancy and urban planning. Maintaining live music spaces is not only a matter of nostalgia but an essential component of a city’s social and economic fabric. 

Preserving Adelaide’s cultural heartbeat 

As cities evolve, the tension between heritage preservation and urban development becomes increasingly complex. Adelaide, Australia’s only UNESCO City of Music, faces a unique challenge: to ensure continued growth and housing provision while protecting the venues that sustain its creative economy and community identity.  

The Crown and Anchor has long been a cornerstone of South Australia’s grassroots music scene, nurturing emerging artists and strengthening the city’s reputation as a vibrant UNESCO City of Music. But in 2024, Adelaide’s historic Crown and Anchor Hotel – an iconic live music venue affectionately known as “The Cranker” – faced demolition to make way for a multi-storey student accommodation complex. The proposed development sparked intensive community campaigning and inspired thousands to sign the “Save the Cranker” petition. 

In August 2024, the Premier of South Australia announced that the plans to demolish the live music venue had been abolished as a direct outcome of discussions with government, the private sector, and the community. He also announced new measures to protect other live music venues in Adelaide.   

Legislative innovation for live music protection 

A month later, in September 2024, the South Australian Parliament passed special purpose legislation guaranteeing that the Crown and Anchor Hotel cannot be demolished and must retain its current use as a hotel and live music venue. The developer’s revised plan, subject to approval by the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP), will deliver $150 million in student housing investment on the adjoining site while preserving the cultural landmark. 

The legislation formally acknowledges Adelaide’s UNESCO City of Music designation and introduces amendments to planning laws protecting other key live music venues from noise complaints by future residents. Developers building near established venues are now required to install noise attenuation and acoustic treatments, ensuring that new developments coexist with the city’s creative life. 

A select committee of the Legislative Council was also established to investigate the causes behind the loss of live and local creative venues across South Australia, reinforcing government commitment to cultural sustainability. 

Sustaining Adelaide’s live music future 

Adelaide’s designated “live music venue area” is a groundbreaking step safeguarding the performance rights of musicians and strengthens protections for other iconic venues across the city. Supported by an amendment to the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Amendment Act 2024, it directly supports A Place to Create, South Australia’s Cultural Policy, which prioritises the protection of live music venues as essential spaces for original and local performance. 

The Crown and Anchor case exemplifies how collaboration between community, government and developers can produce innovative cultural policy solutions. It demonstrates that safeguarding cultural heritage and supporting economic growth need not be in conflict, ensuring that live music continues to thrive as the beating heart of Adelaide’s identity.