Maitland councillors have approved a new childcare centre for Thornton after they asked for Maitland City Council staff to provide grounds to reject the development.
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An 84-place childcare facility for Hartley Drive was approved at last night’s meeting.
Extra conditions have been imposed on the development, including a rule that parents must park on-site to pick up and drop off their children.
Council staff originally addressed public concerns about the impact that noise and fumes from nearby businesses would have on children at the centre and recommended the development be approved.
But most councillors voted at the last meeting for staff to go back to the drawing board and provide grounds to reject the application.
Those grounds were tabled at last night’s meeting, but councillors approved the development.
“Councillors’ concern was the welfare of the children and I feel those questions have been answered,” Cr Steve Procter said.
Cr Ken Wethered said he was concerned about the development at the last meeting, but had spoken with council staff, the project architect and had visited the site since then and had been swayed.
“Our department got it right,” Cr Wethered said.
Crs Henry Meskauskas, Nicole Penfold, Peter Garnham and Philip Penfold voted against the approval.