Community opposition to a proposed McDonald's, KFC and childcare centre near Yeomans Road at North Richmond has brought a controversial development before the NSW Land and Environment Court. But behind the debate over fast food, traffic and rural character lies another important issue, the need for accessible childcare for Hawkesbury families.
The proposed $14.8 million development at 291 Bells Line of Road includes two fast-food premises and a 100-place childcare centre.
More than 200 objections have been lodged, with residents raising concerns about traffic congestion, road safety, the proximity of Colo High School, the rural landscape and the impact on surrounding properties.
Those concerns were brought into focus on Wednesday, 9 September, when residents gathered near the proposed development site as a Land and Environment Court commissioner attended for a section 34 conciliation conference.
The gathering, promoted by the Smart Growth Alliance, provided an opportunity for residents to demonstrate their concerns about the development.
Hawkesbury City Council had already resolved in April to strongly oppose the proposal.
The other side of the debate - a need for childcare
While much of the public debate has centred on the proposed McDonald's and KFC outlets, the development also includes a 100-place early childhood education and care centre.
That component raises a different question for the Hawkesbury community. Can the Hawkesbury afford to turn away opportunities for additional childcare places when access to early childhood education and care remains a challenge for many families?
Research by Victoria University's Mitchell Institute has highlighted the existence of childcare deserts across Australia, communities where there are more than three young children for every available centre-based childcare place.
Its 2024 research found that approximately one in four Australians lived in such areas, with regional and rural communities facing particular challenges in accessing services.
Although the research does not, by itself, establish the current shortage of childcare places in North Richmond, the issue has particular relevance to the Hawkesbury.
Access to affordable, conveniently located childcare is more than a matter of convenience. It can determine whether parents return to work, increase their working hours or pursue further education.
It is also important for children's early learning, social development and preparation for school.
For families living in outlying Hawkesbury communities, the distance between home, childcare and employment can create additional difficulties.
Council has already acknowledged local childcare pressures
The need for additional care services in North Richmond has previously been raised directly with Hawkesbury City Council.
In April 2026, Council endorsed a partnership with the NSW Department of Education to deliver a new 60-place out-of-school-hours care facility at Richmond North Public School.
The decision followed years of delays and concerns about the availability of before- and after-school care.
Council committed $1 million in developer contributions towards the project.
The new facility is intended to replace the existing 45-place service operating from Chas Perry Hall at the North Richmond Community and Youth Centre.
Although out-of-school-hours care serves a different age group from the proposed 100-place childcare centre at Bells Line of Road, both projects highlight the importance of ensuring that care services keep pace with the needs of local families.
The right service in the right location?
The childcare component presents a more complex planning question than the debate about the proposed fast-food outlets alone.
Additional childcare places could provide benefits for families, particularly where parents currently face difficulties finding suitable care close to home.
However, the need for childcare does not automatically mean that every proposed childcare development is appropriate for every location.
The safety of children arriving and departing, vehicle access, traffic movements, pedestrian safety and the suitability of the site must also be considered.
The location near Colo High School and the busy Bells Line of Road corridor makes those considerations particularly important.
There is also a distinction between supporting the establishment of more childcare places and supporting a mixed-use development that includes two major fast-food outlets.
It is possible to recognise the community's need for childcare while also questioning whether the proposed combination of uses is appropriate for this particular site.
Court proceedings continue
The development remains the subject of proceedings in the NSW Land and Environment Court.
The case, Srinivasan Sembu and Ajantha Mohanrajan ATF Sembu Family Trust v Hawkesbury City Council, is proceeding under number 2026/00195440.
Following the September conciliation conference, the matter returned for a Registrar Directions Hearing on 6 October.
A further Online Court listing was recorded for Tuesday, 13 October, at noon, under Senior Deputy Registrar K Khong.
No additional onsite inspection or section 34 conciliation conference was identified in that listing.
The Court has not been reported as having made a final determination on the development.
