Noise a pain in the arts

THE first stage of the Gold Coast cultural precinct is almost a year away from completion but nearby residents are already lodging noise complaints.

Neighbours were fuming after a speaker test at the end of last month.

Sound engineers spent a day testing out different types of speakers to see which worked best in the open-air amphitheatre which is due for completion before the Commonwealth Games next April.

The amphitheatre will have a capacity of 5000 people and is set to hold a range of events from community productions to large scale rock concerts.

The tests prompted six noise complaints to the Gold Coast City Council, Arts Centre Gold Coast and local councillor Gary Baildon.

When the project was first put forward, then councillor Lex Bell warned of noise concerns from many residents, particularly those across the Nerang River on Chevron Island and Surfers Paradise.

The complaints came despite the test being conducted during the day when a majority of residents were at work.

Cr Baildon said he was aware of only one complaint which was made on behalf of two households.

He said he was not concerned about possible noise complaints once concerts were held at the amphitheatre.

“They were only doing testing so they were lifting the noise levels higher than they usually would,” Cr Baildon said.

He said he was sure noise levels had been taken into account in the design.

“It’s something we all need to take into account with an open air amphitheatre.”

A Gold Coast City Council spokesman said about 500 homes and businesses were letter-dropped in the lead-up to the speaker tests.

“The amphitheatre must satisfy legislation requirements and will establish a noise management plan for its proposed program of performances,” he said.