The agent of change principal, introduced in Victoria in 2014, is supposed to protect existing live music venues from encroaching residential developments that might threaten their operation.
Given fortyfivedownstairs’ long history of hosting live performance, it should be protected under existing agent of change laws. However, its integrity as a performance space is now under threat from a development at 51 Flinders Lane, currently a car park which abuts fortyfivedownstairs on two sides.
