A four-storey childcare attached to Junction Fair shopping centre has received the green light from Newcastle council.
The 109-place childcare will be built on a tenant car park facing Farquhar Street with access via the shopping centre. It had been recommended for approval and was supported unanimously by councillors.
The applicant Stirling Property Funds operates the shopping centre and has signed a memorandum of understanding with Tillys to run the centre.
A public voice session was held in October, which Labor councillor Carol Duncan described as "somewhat gruelling", with many questions about different aspects including parking, emergency evacuation of children and accessibility.
Following the public voice, the number of places was reduced from 120 to 109, the setback to the upper level was increased and the plan of management was amended to include evacuation procedures and security control points.
The development includes 13 car spaces for staff, while parents and caregivers will be advised to use the 200-space shopping centre car park. The 19 car spaces that would be lost as a result of the development will also be absorbed in the shopping centre car park.
Council's conditions of consent say the additional parking load would be managed by a ticketless parking system to deter people parking there all day.
The site is across the road from another childcare centre. Michelle Richards, an educator at that centre, spoke against the proposal in public voice.
But Liberal councillor Jenny Barrie said the area was growing and it was important to provide "choice" to families.
Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said as an educator, she preferred to see kids learning outside in fresh air but council had committed to urban density.
"Unless we match that with an increasing of services, there will be a serious failure of urban planning," she said.
Additional traffic information was provided to council after the public voice. Greens councillor John Mackenzie said that included "a fairly strong evidence base about the under-utilisation of the car park during those key points in the day, during drop off and pick up".
Cr Duncan said the proponent had provided ongoing updates and follow-up after the public voice, which had "landed us with a really good outcome".
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