Council rejects childcare centre plan

By Nathan Johnston
THE City of Greater Dandenong has rejected ABC Childcare’s application to establish a new childcare centre at the old Pizza Hut site.
Council acting chairman David Kelly used his casting vote to tip the balance in favour of councillors opposed to the application at Monday night’s meeting.
ABC Childcare applied to transform the old Pizza Hut site and car park into a childcare centre with space for 90 children. But the proposal drew objections from neighbouring businesses, residents and parents with children at the Keysborough Childcare Centre and kindergarten next door.
Objectors said they believed the new centre would create extra pressure on traffic in the area, and said the car parking provisions in the plans were inadequate.
While some councillors believed the centre met all planning requirements, Cr Peter Brown said the application would create several problems.
“This application brings with it a number of difficulties,” he said.
“I have no doubt the extra childcare spaces will be of benefit to the community, but a new centre would create parking pressures.”