A childcare centre will be built in an industrial zone with chemical smells after a tribunal approved the development and ruled the children could play indoors “if the odour is particularly strong”.
However, the council argued such a facility at the location was inappropriate because it threatened both existing commercial activity and the amenity for children and educators. She acknowledged that chemical smells would be present when children were playing outside, but a report from the applicant’s environmental consultant showed these were highly unlikely to be harmful.“The operators of the childcare centre may wish to alter activities accordingly, such as limiting the use of the outdoor spaces if the odour is particularly strong. However, based on the evidence I am satisfied that there would be no human health reason to do so,” Paterson said in her ruling.
The spokesman said when a sensitive operation such as a childcare centre was established in commercial areas, noise and odour complaints increased, which constrained existing and future businesses. Zhuang, who runs two other childcare centres in Melbourne’s south-east, said childcare services were needed in Glen Waverley but due to high levels of development, it was difficult to find land parcels that were large enough.