VCAT rejects proposed ECEC centre in residential area based on traffic concerns

A proposal for an 84 place early childhood education and care (ECEC) service in Victoria’s Frankston South has been rejected by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) citing traffic impacts to 21 Barmah Court, the proposed location of the service, and nearby Kara Street.

Frankston Council rejected the proposal in 2019, a decision which was then appealed to VCAT. VCAT held hearings in October to consider the proposal before handing down its order to reject a permit for the developer. 

“Whilst Kara Street can technically accommodate the traffic generation from a traffic engineering perspective, the amount of car parking required for this land use generates traffic that significantly increases the existing volumes in a small local connector road,” the VCAT order read. “[Kara Street] provides the sole means of access to Barmah Court, which is described in the planning scheme as having characteristics akin to a country lane. 

VCAT further argued that Kara Street is “part and parcel” of the residential amenity currently enjoyed by Barmah Court residents, is the sole means of access to their residential street and contributes to the pleasantness (amenity) that they currently enjoy.  

Increased traffic ranging from doubling over the course of a day, to a four fold increase in peak hours would constitute an unacceptable impact upon the pleasantness/amenity of this particular residential area, VACT argued. 

To read the original coverage of this story, as written by Bayside News, please see here.