A group of disappointed parents and residents stormed out of the council chambers on Thursday morning after the Shire of Murray gave Austin Cove Baptist College’s childcare centre proposal the green light.
The approval sparked comments such as “shame on this council” and “disgusting”.
The controversial facility, which would be located in the school’s Inlet Boulevard temporary site and cater for 68 children, prompted both comments of support and opposition among the local community prior to its approval.
At the council meeting, mother of three Ashe Pellew spoke on behalf of 77 fellow parents who were concerned about the effect the daycare centre would have on their children’s education.
She said the proposal didn’t include sufficient supporting documents, such as a traffic management plan, to meet the Shire of Murray’s planning scheme requirements, and no broader community consultation had been undertaken.
If the childcare was approved, she said, there wouldn’t be any classrooms left for a double string as initially planned by the school, and several students, including two of her children, would have to be relocated.
She said the proposal was “ad hoc planning” and the funds needed to be invested in the school’s existing infrastructure.
She said parents were also concerned the opening of the centre would further congest the school, bringing more traffic to the area, limiting parking and putting children at risk.
Secondary school principal Orlando dos Santos spoke in defense of the proposal which he said was part of the school’s long-term vision.
He said establishing the childcare centre would allow children to transition from daycare to Year 12 surrounded by the same values and would also allow older students to carry out work experience on site.
Australian Baptist Education early learning director Serena Lewis said the centre would bring employment and training opportunities to the area.
She said there were currently 12 vacant classrooms in the primary school site, which would translate in minor modifications to the existing building and shorter construction time.
The school, she said, was also happy to work together with the Shire to address ongoing traffic concerns through a traffic management plan.
Shire of Murray councillors Ange Rogers and Casey Rose echoed some of the parents’ concerns and spoke in opposition to the proposal.
Ms Rose said the proposal lacked in detail while Ms Rogers said the parents’ concerns were warranted.
However, councillor Wally Barrett said most of the concerns shared by the parents weren’t planning matters, and advised fellow councillors to vote according to planning principles.
“There’s nothing that should stop it from getting approved,” he said.
“If we don’t approve it we will have to answer to that.”
Councillor David Bolt spoke in support of deferring the proposal in order to work on the planning issues collectively with the community and the school.
But Shire of Murray planning and sustainability director Rod Peake said the applicant was “keen to get a decision today”.
In a 6 to 2 vote, Shire councillors resolved to give the proposal the go-ahead subject to the school submitting a satisfactory traffic management plan.
As part of the decision, the school would also have to relocate the primary school site and childcare centre to the permanent site on California Crescent by December 31, 2022.