Have you noticed there have been a lot more childcare centres popping everywhere? Are you hearing local residents asking why certain large childcare centres are in quiet neighbourhoods? Would you believe more councils are becoming more concerned that they see a growing number of childcare centres in inappropriate locations?

Well, Sydney’s City of Parramatta Council is the latest who is taking action. They join Cumberland Council (19 December 2019), Hornsby Shire Council and The Hills Shire Council (see Sydney Morning Herald, 14 October 2018) and possibly North Sydney Council (see Daily Telegraph, 14 November 2018), all of whom are also in Sydney, who are becoming more concerned about seeing certain new childcare centres being approved within their own local government areas, and that they may not have the necessary powers to produce good outcomes.

City of Parramatta Council has resolved:

1. That the Acting CEO write to the Secretary of the Department of Planning and Environment seeking support to amend State
   Environmental Planning Policy (Educational Establishments and Child Care Facilities) 2017 to allow Council to put in place local
   planning controls requiring developers to demonstrate genuine need or demand for child care centres and/or place limits on the proximity of child care centres from one another.
2. Further, that the Lord Mayor write to our local State Members of Parliament, seeking their support to encourage the Minister for
   Planning to allow Council to put in place such local planning controls.