City of Wanneroo votes against special needs child care centre in Yanchep

A PROPOSED childcare centre in Yanchep catering to children with special needs was rejected by Wanneroo council.

Lisa Dwyer made a deputation prior to the December 6 meeting pleading with councillors to support the application to change the Yorlor Way home into a childcare facility.

She said the area was ideal as it was several houses away from Quinns Beach Primary School and would be aimed at families of children with special needs.

“My centre will cater for children who do not fit in the box,” she said.

“We have a huge need for respite care, part-time and fulltime care.

“The area does not have anything like this centre.”

The application was made in April 2015 and the City’s report said it had been delayed because supporting information had not been provided.

It was originally proposed to accommodate a maximum of 35 children and two staff members but this was reduced to 15 children and two staff.

The City’s report said four objections were made to the plan during the public consultation period and a petition with 41 signatures, including 15 Yorlor Way residents, was presented at the May council meeting.

The main issues related to increase in traffic and noise, car parking provisions and variations to planning requirements including landscaping.

The report said it was compliant with City and State rules except for lot size, location on an access road and having a 0.4m instead of 3m landscaping strip.

Despite expected traffic generated from the centre being within acceptable limits, it was to be located on a road providing access to residential properties and found the additional traffic would “detrimentally impact the existing amenity and aesthetics of the surrounding residential properties”.

It said the application was capable of being approved but recommended refusal because of the traffic, lack of 3m landscaping strip, the 510sq m lot size was not considered sufficient to accommodate the development and impact on the amenity of the streetscape.

Cr Dianne Guise said she “unfortunately” supported the recommendation and hoped the applicant could find elsewhere for the centre.

However, Cr Samantha Fenn believed it should have been approved because it would be helping children with special needs transition to school.

“I believe discretion should be given to the operator as the Government don’t provide enough (support), we should be encouraging the private sector,” she said.

The recommendation was endorsed, with Crs Fenn and Linda Aitken voting against it.