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Thursday, 12 October, 2023
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Gymnasts among the best
Lost and found The Narre Warren and broader Casey community has celebrated the end of an eightday search for seven-year-old ridgeback labrador cross Pearl, which involved hundreds of locals on the lookout and more than 1400 people tracking her whereabouts on Facebook. Owner Geoff Higgins said he was grateful for the overwhelming support he had received from the Berwick community during and after the search for Pearl. Story page 6
Geoff Higgins and Pearl have been reunited after eight days apart. 365604 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS
Final care appeal By Matthew Sims A group of Narre Warren North residents have made a final plea to Casey Council to reconsider its “communistic” approval of a childcare centre to be developed on 154 Drysdale Avenue in Narre Warren North. Casey Council approved a planning permit for the use and development of a childcare centre on the land on Tuesday 3 October, with the demolition of the $1.9 million house at the property expected soon. The plans outlined a $2.9 million early childhood education facility at the site, which would accommodate 110 places. Highgrange Estate resident Sienna Dimarco said the last 12 months of advocating against
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was notified of a demolition permit approved by a private building surveyor,” she said. “On 3 October, council approved a planning permit for the use and development of a childcare centre on the land. “The decision was subject to a full assessment of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and the Casey Planning Scheme.” Ms Asper said Casey Council notified all submitters of the decision via mail on Wednesday 4 October. “The application was exempt from public notice requirements and certain decision requirements and review rights under relevant sections of the Planning and Environment Act 1987 as the site is covered by a Development Plan Overlay,” she said. “Council cannot comment on when and if
the project will commence. “The planning permit allows two years for the development to commence and four years for the development to be completed.” According to the 2021 Census, there were 356 children aged zero to four years in Narre Warren North. A newly constructed and operational centre has been operating less than two kilometres away from the proposed planning permit at 1 Capra Court, accommodating more than 130 children aged six weeks to six years, while another centre accommodates more than 100 children at 280-283 Belgrave-Hallam Road, about 3.5 kilometres away from the proposed development. Continued page 3
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the development was an “exhausting” battle with Casey Council’s planning department to convince them that the site’s Development Plan Overlay (DPO) should be scrapped. “This DPO has given residents no rights to notice or appeal and has given us all extreme stress, anger, frustration and depression as town planners advised us that our objections were merely seen as submissions for consideration, and that we cannot appeal to VCAT should an application be approved,” she said. “This is communistic behaviour and surely can not be legal in Australia.” Casey Council planning and building manager Tania Asper said there was no requirements for a planning permit or public consultation before the existing house is demolished. “In August, council
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