Kellyville residents fight childcare development in busy Annabelle Cresent

Residents have joined forces to fight a childcare facility proposed for a busy cul-de-sac that is already gridlocked by pick-up and drop-off of students at Kellyville Public School.

Patricia Cooney and residents opposing the development application for a large childcare centre at Anabelle Cres, Kellyville. Picture: AAP IMAGE/ Angelo Velardo

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Residents are fighting a childcare centre proposed for a busy cul-de-sac that is already gridlocked by pick-up and drop-off of students at Kellyville Public School.

The development application for 10 Annabelle Cres, Kellyville, proposed the demolition of existing buildings on the site for the construction of a new childcare centre for 44 children and seven staff.

The childcare centre, which was proposed to The Hills Shire Council on January 16, would include a two-storey development featuring three classrooms, an outdoor play area, a nappy change room, bathrooms, a reception, lift, pram parking, kitchen, laundry, as well as staff and meeting rooms.

92 year old Isabelle Ryan has lived on Anabelle Cres in Kellyville for 55 years and she is opposing the development application for a large childcare centre at Anabelle Cres, Kellyville. Picture: AAP IMAGE/ Angelo Velardo

Residents, including neighbour Tricia Cooney, hit out at the proposal and the impact it will have on traffic congestion, access to properties, pedestrian safety, noise, flooding and privacy.

“A childcare centre in Annabelle Cres will exacerbate all these problems and probably

create others,” she said.

“Our property is adjoining (the proposed site) and therefore is one of the properties that will most be adversely impacted if a Long Day Care centre is allowed in our narrow suburban street.

“The small quiet street means that we know most of our neighbours and all support each other — this development is totally incompatible with this sense of a community.”

Mrs Cooney said residents are struck with gridlock on a daily basis, when parents of students at Kellyville Public School use the residential street to pick up their children.

Anabelle Cres in Kellyville turns into a carpark during school pick-up. (AAP IMAGE/ Angelo Velardo)

“Council has been hamstrung by the decision of the Planning Department and nobody is willing to take the wrap for it,” she said. “This could happen anywhere and I feel we, as residents, have no real say.”

Another resident Catherine Hogan said she and her husband Mark were not opposed to progress, however, ‘The Village’ community the street is located in is made up of “older residents who are not in need of a childcare facility”.

“In the areas surrounding Kellyville there are many ‘green field’ sites where a well planned and built childcare facility would be needed and welcomed,” she said.

The developer said likely impacts of the proposal would be an increase in noise during the construction phase: “there will be some noise impacts during construction of the building, however these will be controlled by standard construction hours to minimise any potential acoustic impacts”.

Local residents opposing the development application for a large childcare centre at Anabelle Cres in Kellyville. PIcture: AAP IMAGE/ Angelo Velardo

The report also highlighted the impact of the flood prone area the site is proposed for, crime and privacy issues.

“The proposed use will have a beneficial social impact on the locality by providing additional childcare places for local families,” the development application said.

“The proposed child care centre will have a positive economic impact on the locality in that it will generate additional local short and long term employment and will allowing working parents to re-enter the workforce and contribute to the local economy.”

Castle Hill state Liberal MP Ray Williams said The Hills Shire Council took a position that they would not allow childcare centre in residential zones where traffic congestion would be an issue.

“We have seen a lot of childcare centres now in rural and commercial areas following this plan,” he said. “But now the Planning Department has overridden council’s policy and allows childcare centres going back into residential areas.

“These are legitimate concerns of residents, this is not a one-size-fits-all model and the Planning Department has overstepped the mark.”

Mr Williams said he was concerned about the changes to planning policies: “I join the frustrations of residents”.

Hills Shire Mayor Michelle Byrne said changes to State Government planning policies for child care facilities permits child care centres in low density residential streets.

“The Hills Shire Council has prohibited child care centres in low density areas since 2012 after dealing with years of contentious proposals and issues with developments being inappropriate in scale and creating noise, traffic and parking issues in local neighbourhoods,” Cr Byrne said.

“The changes have forced council into a very difficult situation of having to assess applications for large scale child care centre developments in inappropriate locations where they will most certainly cause disruption in local residential streets.”

Cr Byrne said Annabelle Cres is “already heavily impacted by school traffic”.

“The residents have every right to be concerned about the addition of a childcare centre to their street and the impact it will have on their local amenity including noise, traffic and parking issues,” she said.