A CHILD care centre at South Windsor has been given the go ahead by Hawkesbury City Council, despite concerns about traffic at its location.
The centre will be built next to the intersection of George Street and Rifle Range Road at 691 George Street, and will be run by Adam and Karen Nightingale.
At Council’s June 28 meeting, the motion, which had a raft of conditions attached, was passed five votes to four.
Mayor Kim Ford, Paul Rasmussen, Tiffany Tree, Barry Calvert and Mary Lyons-Buckett voted yes, while Christine Paine, Jill Reardon and Mike Creed were absent from the meeting.
The main objection from neighbours and councilors was the heavy traffic at the intersection where the centre was to be placed.
Parents dropping off their children will only be able to turn left into and left out of the centre, although this provision was not enough to sway some councillors.
Cr Patrick Conolly said traffic problems were inevitable.
“I just can't see how this is not going to be dangerous that close to the intersection with people trying to get in or out,” he said.
Cr Leigh Williams agreed with Cr Conolly’s sentiment.
“That road may be going to get improvements in the near future but it doesn't have any improvements and right now it is really dangerous,” he said.
“I know we need to see more child minding facilities but let us put them in the right places where there is not a risk of accidents.”
Cr Mary Lyons-Buckett said she did not think it was so dangerous, because in peak hour, traffic moved slowly through the intersection.
“I don't underestimate the problems there. I would imagine the traffic is crawling along there during the peak times,” she said.
“I know there is a great need for extra child care places in the area.
“I think the applicants are doing the safest entry and exit they can do.”
Kirstin Feddersen runs a business which trains animals to go on film sets on the neighbouring property.
Ms Feddersen was not present, though two of her employees spoke at the meeting.
They both said they had concerns about the traffic and in their opinion the extra traffic would make it unsafe.
At a previous meeting, Ms Feddersen was present and said she was worried when children ate, they might put their rubbish over the fence and into her business which her animals might eat.
However, the owners told Council, as did one of Ms Feddersen’s employees, that children would eat indoors and rubbish would not be an issue.
