VCAT upholds Casey Council decision to refuse ECEC planning permit

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has upheld a decision by Casey Council to refuse a planning permit to use and develop land in Narre Warren North for a 138-place early childhood education and care (ECEC) service. 

Relating to 2-4 Dell View Close in Narre Warren North, VCAT senior member Margaret Baird said there were concerns with the size and intensity of the proposed construction, the auditory impact of the development, and the influence the build would have on the rural character of the area, which she said “is valued” by the community and would be compromised by the development. 

Had it been approved, the development would have led to the removal of the existing dwelling and some vegetation to allow for the construction of a one to two-storey building set into the slope, with surrounding play areas across two split levels.

The scale of this development, Ms Baird said, doesn’t sit well with the neighbouring properties, which are low density residential. She also expressed concerns about the impact of outdoor play spaces, and the use of the car park. 

A traffic report submitted by developers projected that there would be 552 vehicle movements per day if the facility was built, compared with the current seven day average of just 43 vehicles per day. 

“The childcare facility is not located so as to maximise access by public transport and safe walking and cycling routes,” Ms Baird pointed out, meaning it is far more likely that each of the 138 families using the facility would be using cars to do so.

Overall, VCAT found that the proposal did not sufficiently meet the character and landscape outcomes sought for this location.

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