27/09/18: UK Music has welcomed a vote at the Scottish Parliament in support of the principle of Agent of Change to help protect live music venues.

_{(L-R) Nick Stewart (Sneaky Pete’s), Bev Whitrick (Music Venue Trust), Richard Leonard MSP (Leader, Scottish Labour Party), Lewis Macdonald MSP and Tom Kiehl (UK Music) at the Scottish Parliament in March}

Following the vote by the Parliament’s Local Government Committee, UK Music urged all MSPs to back the changes at future debates on the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

Amendments to the Bill by Lewis Macdonald MSP reinforce the application of agent of change to music venues and introduce the concept of culturally significant zones.

This would give venues more protection against new developments in their neighbourhoods and will now be considered at a full meeting of the Scottish Parliament for further approval.

Earlier this year, the Scottish Government made the welcome announcement that it will include the agent of change principle in the next revision of the National Planning Framework and Scottish Planning Policy, setting out guidelines to which it expects planning authorities to adhere.

Following this breakthrough, UK Music and the Music Venue Trust provided evidence to the Scottish Parliament and gave a number of suggestions for how this announcement could be strengthened further. This has been reflected in Lewis’s amendments to the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

Commenting on the vote, UK Music CEO Michael Dugher said:

“Music venues are a vital part of our music industry and play a crucial role in supporting our talent pipeline. They need to be protected from closure.

“MSPs from all sides of the Scottish Parliament must now get behind these amendments to ensure we do not lose this important opportunity to support music venues in legislation.

“Lewis Macdonald is a tireless champion for the agent of change principle and along with the Music Venue Trust must also be applauded for his dedicated campaigning in support of music venues in Scotland.”