Neighbours object to plan doubling daycare numbers

Neighbours want the limit to stay at 15 children at one time. Photo / Thinkstock

Double the children is not double the noise, the next-door neighbours of a proposed childcare centre in Balmoral were told after objecting to its plan to boost capacity to 30 children.

Owners of the bungalow have resource consent for 15 children and two staff.

But even before the Amazing Kids early childhood education centre has begun operation, it has applied to the Auckland Council to double the limit.

Neighbours want the limit to stay at 15 children at one time - mainly for the sake of peace and quiet.

They take no comfort from the centre opening in daytime hours only - that, they say, is when shiftworkers among them are trying to sleep.

But the centre's acoustic consultant, Kevin Prosee, says they will not hear much extra noise from 30 children playing.

"A doubling of the number of children typically equates, in acoustic terms, to a three-decibel increase in the noise levels generated and received on adjacent properties," Mr Prosee said at a planning commissioners' hearing on Friday.

He has assessed 26 centres.

Noise from double the children would be "just perceptible" and meet district plan rules.

Building a 2m board fence on the boundary and a soft covering on the backyard deck would cut the sound to the nearest neighbour's window to 47-49 decibels.

Traffic noise would mask sounds from the centre and closing a bedroom window would give an acceptable noise level for undisturbed sleep.

However, nine objecting neighbours found his opinion hard to believe.

"The difference is comparing a minibus of children to a coach-full," said Donna Steele, a Balmoral Rd resident for 21 years.

Objectors also said the number of people at the centre was well outside the intensity level allowed in the district plan for the residential 6b zone.

The commissioners are considering a consent condition for monitoring noise.

The National Foundation for the Deaf said it was campaigning to alert children, teachers and parents about hearing loss caused by excessive noise.

Chief executive Louise Carroll said it hoped to install sound indicators in every early childhood centre.

These were like traffic lights. A light turned red when the excessive noise level of 90 decibels was reached.

It alerted teachers it was time for children to cut back on the noise.

"We hope the lessons the youngsters learn will stay with them for the rest of their lives," she said.

The safe sound indicators sell for $290.50 and the foundation has received donations to install 600.