A $3.25M childcare centre proposed for 2 High Valley Cl, Wamberal, has been approved by the Local Planning Panel.
The decision is contingent on a boundary realignment to be completed and registered within two years or the approval lapses.
The block is on the corner of The Entrance Rd (Central Coast Hwy).
The applicant Thrum Architects Pty Limited on behalf of owner High Valley Holdings applied to build a single-storey building to accommodate 103 children with outdoor play areas, on-site parking for 41 cars, security fencing and landscaping.
The development would operate from 7am – 6pm, Monday to Friday with 22 staff on-site at any one time.
The land has been remediated from contamination.
Former uses including agriculture, underground petroleum storage systems used by a plant mechanic and NSW Transport use as a storage facility during the Central Coast Highway upgrade.
The report to the planning panel said an NSW EPA Accredited Contaminated Site Auditor had confirmed the site has been comprehensively assessed in relation to soil, groundwater and residual potential for vapour intrusion and concluded that the site is suitable for use as a childcare centre.
The report said the centre would be a low impact community/educational facility visually compatible with the low-density residential development occurring in the immediate locality and that it did not contain any remnant tree canopy or natural biodiversity values requiring retention.
The proposal attracted 26 submissions with 19 objecting and seven in support.
Central Coast Council recommended approval in its report to the independent planning panel.
People using the centre and travelling from the west will turn left into High Valley Cl to drop off or pick up the children.
Those who come from the east would complete a U-turn at the roundabout intersection of the highway and Okanagan Cl before turning left into High Valley Cl.
Accident data provided by the RMS for the period 01/04/2014 to 31/03/2019 showed 16 accidents within the vicinity of the subject site.
The majority of the crashes were recorded at the roundabout of the Central Coast Hwy and Okanagan Cl as well as the Central Coast Hwy and Ocean View Dr.
The application included a statement from the director of a Terrigal childcare centre which indicated it has 726 children on its waiting list.
The panel met last week and its decision was made public on Tuesday, November 17.
It also approved a drug and rehabilitation Transitional Group Home for Women at 253 Yarramalong Road, Wyong Creek.
Two development applications for a wedding venue at Wyong Creek were refused consent.
Merilyn Vale