A HOCKING childcare centre has received planning approval to build a second centre in the suburb.
The Metro North West Development Assessment Panel conditionally approved the proposed $2.2 million development on the corner of Gungurru Avenue and Wanneroo Road at its September 18 meeting.
CF Town Planning and Development’s Carlo Famiano submitted the application for another Hocking Stars Early Learning Centre on behalf of the owners, Rocco and Merilyn Del Borrello.
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READ NOWConditions allowed the centre to accommodate up to 135 children and 22 staff and operate between 6.30am and 6.30pm on weekdays, excluding public holidays.
The plans included 36 car parking bays and two bicycle bays accessed off Gungurru Avenue, as well as two storage sheds on the property.
During public consultation, the City of Wanneroo received 17 submissions, with 12 objecting to the development and five supporting it.
Giving a presentation at the panel meeting, Mr Famiano said the plans had been changed to address issues raised, including lowering the ground level of the site to reduce the visual and noise impact in adjoining properties.
“We’ve been fairly mindful of trying to deal with issues that could spill out into the neighbouring site,” he said.
Mr Famiano said vegetation in the road reserve provided a buffer between the play area and Wanneroo Road.
He said there would be fencing, cameras and patrols to provide security at the site.
Nearby resident Angela Connelly also gave a presentation to highlight residents’ concerns about traffic and safety at the site, saying there had been crashes at the junction.
She raised concerns about a bus, which the applicant said would be a 12-seater minibus that would park near the entry, not in staff parking bays adjacent to a residential property.
The City’s approval services manager Greg Bowering said the volume of traffic the development would generate was well within the capacity of the surrounding road network.
The five-person panel unanimously approved the application after amending a condition that required the developer to plant 10 trees on the site by specifying the location of two trees.