A recent council meeting heard concerns around landscaping works planned as part of the childcare and residential development. Photo: Google Maps/Screenshot.
A Southern Tablelands town is a step closer to a multimillion-dollar childcare and residential development.
Upper Lachlan Shire Council (ULSC) gave the proposal unanimous approval at a recent meeting.
According to planning documents, the development in Memory Avenue, Crookwell, is expected to be carried out over several stages.
“The development will occur in a staged manner to enable flexibility and allow Stage 2 or 3 to proceed following the completion of Stage 1,” the documents say.
The project has an estimated cost of over $6.5 million.
During their discussion, councillors raised concerns about the landscaping and tree removal planned for the site.
Cr Vivienne Flanagan asked about several Memory Avenue trees planted by the Lions Club.
“It would be well worth checking that those trees were not dedicated to particular people,” she said.
In response, Mayor Paul Culhane suggested contacting the local historical society.
Cr Susan Reynolds also called for the protection of historic tree hollows on the development site.
“I know from my Upper Lachlan Landcare knowledge that trees that get hollows in them are normally anything between 180 and 200 years old … I understand that for something like this, trees may have to be removed.”
Cr Reynolds asked whether the hollows could be preserved and used for animals to nest in.
A staff member said the applicant was open to installing both nest boxes and preserving the hollows.
The development would bring a 92-place childcare centre to Memory Avenue and more than a dozen residential lots to Crookwell. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
Council documents state that the development would comprise a total of 19 residential lots.
The childcare centre is expected to have 92 places, with children spread across two rooms per age group.
The centre would open between 7 am and 6 pm Monday to Friday, and have 16 educators.
The plans also put forward upgrades to Memory Avenue, Prell Street and Pine Avenue.
Council documents state that several residents raised multiple reasons why they saw the proposal as unsuitable for the area.
They argued it didn’t suit the area’s character (coming with a loss of “privacy and amenity” for nearby residents) and that it would bring traffic that local roads couldn’t manage.
A ULSC staff member also said community feedback had been considered and incorporated into the proposal.
“They [the applicant] have come back and addressed those objections,” the staff member said.
”Staff doing the assessment process believe we can manage or reduce the impact of those objections through various conditions of consent.”
