By Casey Neill
A Keysborough kinder has the green light to build a new home in a residential zone.
A Greater Dandenong Council officer report recommended refusing the application from Montessori @ Home because 8-14 Bend Road is zoned for residential development.
“The area is undergoing a significant amount of change, and is currently being developed for residential purposes in accordance with the approved Development Plan applying to the land,” the report said.
“The approved Development Plan clearly sets out the use of the site for ‘residential development’.
“The proposed use of the land for a kindergarten is not considered to be ‘residential development’ and is therefore not consistent with the Development Plan applying to the land.”
The report also said that the parking area was inconsistent with policy to ensure landscaping in new developments, and location in a no-through local road was not considered appropriate for the proposed use.
“It is considered that the proposed use will generate a significant amount of additional traffic than what would otherwise be generated by residential development,” it said.
“It is considered that this will negatively impact on the amenity of surrounding residential dwellings.”
But Cr Matthew Kirwan moved an alternative motion, to approve the application with about 20 conditions.
“The Montessori kindergarten has for years operated in Keysborough, offering a popular alternative to other kindergartens and also helping alleviate the growing shortage of kindergarten spaces in the new estates of Keysborough,” he said.
“They put in this application due to having outgrown their current use of Springers (Leisure Centre, on Cheltenham Road in Keysborough).
“In my view, the benefit that this facility will bring to this family area far outweighs the relatively minor negatives.”
