A popular Bristol nursery has been given planning permission to expand by a third despite noise concerns from neighbours. Zebedees in St Andrews has already been caring for up to 60 children for a few years, but previously only had permission to look after a maximum of 45.
The nursery on Walsingham Road was told by Bristol City Council they needed permission to expand the places to 60, which then led to a planning application in June 2023. This sparked objections from neighbours who complained about the noise of children playing and crying.
Parking pressures and traffic bottlenecks were another concern. But many parents supported the application, as the nursery provides a ‘vital community facility’, councillors on the development committee were told.
James Tavernor, a planning agent representing the nursery, said: “The nursery has been operating successfully since 1999. An enforcement letter was issued to my client regarding a breach of condition on the number of children attending. The nursery complied with the council’s request to regularise operations and submit this application.
“The increase in numbers attending the nursery has been in place for some time without significant complaints and helps address the shortage of childcare in the city. Many nurseries in the area are oversubscribed. Reducing numbers at this site would impact working families and put further strain on local facilities. There is strong community support.”
Councillors voted unanimously to approve planning permission. As the expansion had already happened, if councillors refused permission then the nursery would have had to then shrink its capacity from 60 children back down to 45, leaving some parents suddenly without childcare.
Green Councillor Paula O’Rourke said: “A lot of the objections seem to be concerned about the growth of numbers of children to 60. But even back in 2023 when the application was first put in, the numbers of children had already risen to 60.
“So a lot of those objections are misguided by thinking that going from 45 to 60, they’re going to have more noise. But in fact, they’ve been living with it for years.”
Labour Cllr Lisa Durston added: “We have a massive shortage of nursery places at the moment in Bristol. If we were to object to this and suddenly the nursery has to reduce the number of children, I’m not quite sure where those parents would find for their children to go.”