In NSW, schools are a permissible use in a residential area. This means that a school (or childcare centre) can be proposed next door to you at any time. Previously, only public schools could be built by-passing the Council Development Applications (DA) process. Now, the state government is proposing to extend that benefit to private school operators. This will allow for the construction of classrooms, childcare centres, gymnasiums and lecture theatres as high as 22 metre (4 storey).

No DA is required.

No consultation is required.

Just a letter advising that work will commence in a couple of days time.

The government needs to accommodate an additional 170,000 students over the next 15 years.

Source:  Lisa Visentin, p.1 SMH, Friday 26 May 2017