A nursery hoping to secure its future in a new home is set to be denied planning permission tonight as it could be too noisy.

Watership Downs, in Downs Road, Maldon, has been looking after children in the town for 40 years.

But due to the lease agreement ending next March, bosses need to find a new home.

It applied to Maldon District Council to place a wooden cabin on land at the Blackwater Leisure Centre in Park Drive.

The land is jointly owned by the council and centre operator Places For People.

Now planning officers have recommended the proposal is thrown out despite saying it would be beneficial for employment and the community.

The report, which is due to go before the central area planning committee tonight, said: “The proposed building would not result in a detrimental impact on the visual amenity of the streetscene.

“Furthermore, the proposal is considered to be beneficial in terms of employment and regarding the provision of a community facility.

“However, it has not been sufficiently proven that the proposal will not result in an unacceptable level of noise, in terms of the impact on the neighbouring residential area, primarily in relation to the evening and weekend use.”

If approved the centre would provide a pre-school for 30 children, a crèche with 11 places for use by leisure centre customers and before and after-school care for 15 children.

The cabin would also be available to rent by community groups in the evenings and for events and parties at weekends between 9am and 9pm.

The report said no noise impact assessment had been submitted.

Planning officers said the assessment was needed to determine if the noise from evening and weekend use of the site would impact on neighbours.

The report also found there was no planned parking for the site.

The nursery employs 16 members of staff and the plans would create ten more jobs.

Last year Places For People closed the crèche at Blackwater Leisure Centre saying the facility was “underused”.

If the plans are given the green light that scheme would be revived.

Sharon Kennedy, manager at Watership Downs Nursery School, said she would not be commenting until the decision was made.