By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A proposed child care centre in a recently-built residential estate in Clyde has been approved by the state’s planning tribunal, despite being opposed by Casey Council.
The single-storey facility for up to 136 children at 400 Clyde-Five Ways Road was granted a permit by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on 26 August.
Casey had failed to make a decision on the permit within the prescribed time.
But it would have refused the permit, arguing there was no demonstrated need for a child care centre and that it was sited more than 400 metres from the Clyde town centre.
Casey also submitted the centre did not fit with the estate’s neighbourhood character, would cause unacceptable impacts on nearby residents and would be accessed by cars via a local street – Henderson Street.
It also highlighted the loss of five or six proposed housing lots as a result.
VCAT members Allison Slattery and Ann Keddie noted the council’s Clyde Creek precinct structure plan guidelines that private childcare should be within or near any town centre or community hub.
The site was well outside “walkable” distance – beyond 400 metres from the proposed Clyde major town centre and more than 800 metres from the proposed railway station.
However, the guidelines were discretionary, not mandatory, they ruled.
“Across Melbourne, childcare centres are often located well within residentially zoned areas.
“If appropriately designed, they both serve a need whilst providing built form that is compatible both with dwellings and the broader residential land which can include other non-residential forms.”
The VCAT members ruled that the many young families living nearby might use the child care facility.
Child care centres in the area did not meet current or future demand, they found.
The area was already “busy“, near schools, other community facilities and employment opportunities.
The members also found that the child care centre may provide benefits such as employment.
VCAT ordered that the front car park would be set back further from Henderson Street, and for an extra canopy trees in the car park and the reserve to the west of the site.
“The proposed landscaping provides a superior outcome to that which exists and is in line with policy expectations for the area.”
They stated that ideally, vehicle access should be from Clyde-Fiveways Road, but was not possible in this case.
The 29 proposed on-site car spaces met the Casey Planning Scheme and was acceptable.
