A group home for at-risk youth in Quispamsis is moving forward despite a pending appeal from residents who are worried it is being located too close to a local daycare.

In June, the southern New Brunswick town's public advisory committee gave the green light for a youth-at-risk home to be located on Vincent Road.

That decision prompted some neighbours to voice their concern about the group home's proximity to a daycare centre.

The province's Assessment and Planning Appeal Board gave the neighbours' fight a boost this week.

Donna Higgins, one of the local residents who has fought the location of the group home, received a letter from the appeal board stating they had been given permission to appeal the local zoning decision.

The meeting for that appeal has not been set, even though the group home is supposed to open in two weeks. So that sets up the possibility that the appeal will be held after the first residents of the group home have moved into the house.

Major renovations

The home on Vincent Road has undergone major renovations.

Mel Kennah, the executive director with Moncton Youth Residences Inc., who is heading up the youth home, said staff have been hired and they have one person already slated to move in.

Kennah said if the town's zoning approval is thrown out, another move could be detrimental to the treatment and rehabilitation of the young person.

"I know that we've followed the process very carefully so I'm confident that we'll have a favourable decision with respect to any sort of a hearing or appeals process that proceeds from here," Kennah said.

"In terms of what would happen if the decision was overturned I guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it but I'm not expecting that."

He said he hopes over time the community will start to warm up to the facility.

Earlier this summer, Loo Elton, who runs the Little Acorn Daycare from her home, told CBC News that she feels her livelihood could be in jeopardy because some parents are worried about their kids being near a group home.

"I have to think my livelihood is at stake here because the popular opinion in the neighbourhood is such that they're telling me that they're very concerned about their children being in daycare two houses along from this premises," said Elton, who cares for 15 children in her daycare.