Dunedin child-care centre consent 'shock' for neighbours

Hazel Ave, Dunedin, residents disappointed consent has been granted for a child-care facility in their street. Photo / Gregor Richardson, ODT

Residents are weighing up their next move after consent was given for a child-care centre which they fear will ruin their quiet Dunedin street.

The proposal for a two-storey child-care centre in Hazel Ave, Caversham, sparked a strong response from neighbours and 24 people made submissions against it being given resource consent.

Hazel Ave resident John Aarts said those who had fought the centre remained concerned, despite a condition limiting its capacity to up to 60 children at any one time, down from the 100 in the developer's proposal.

There was ''no doubt'' the condition would reduce the amount of extra traffic coming into the street, but the noise impact for those living in its immediate vicinity ''probably won't be much different'', Mr Aarts said.

The extra traffic still remained a concern, because even a small increase was ''too much'' for the area.

After the ''shock'' of learning consent had been granted, residents were weighing up their options, which could include appealing the decision, but their next move would depend on how the developer responded.

They were hoping the developer would decide the centre was no longer viable as a result of the condition limiting the number of children.

The strong and unified response was because people chose to live in the cul-de-sac because it was quiet - something the proposal would ''destroy''.

Developer Simon Eddy, of Eddy AP Ltd, declined to say whether he was disappointed at the condition allowing only up to 60 children at the centre, or if he had any plans to appeal.

''We have received the consent and we are reviewing it. I don't really have any comment beyond that to make at this point,'' Mr Eddy said.

In the decision, hearings committee chairwoman Cr Kate Wilson said the outcome of its assessment on the child-care centre was ''finely balanced''.

''The scale of the operation proposed would result in effects that were at the high end in terms of what could be acceptable in the receiving environment,'' Cr Wilson said.

Due to concerns about the site in relation to nearby houses and the effectiveness of proposed noise mitigation, the committee decided to impose a condition limiting the centre's capacity to up to 60 children at one time and that no exceptions to noise level rules should be provided for.