Isaac Regional Council approved new childcare centre for Moranbah
One of a potential three new childcare centres for the Isaac region has been given the green light but the council’s approval comes with conditions. SEE THE PLANS.
Mackay
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At least one of the up-to-three extra childcare centres needed in Moranbah will soon come to fruition.
Isaac Regional Councillors have unanimously voted to approve plans, with conditions, to build a 112-place centre with an 863sq m gross floor space at 164 and 166 Mills Ave.
Two homes will be demolished to make way for the centre on the 2261sq m site.
The approval comes more than 12 months after Caroline Dufroux submitted her application, with the council receiving six submissions opposing the project.
Complaints included that the site, which has frontage to Mills Ave and Bradman St, was an unsuitable location for a childcare centre, children would generate too much noise and there would be traffic and carparking issues.
To meet the council’s requirements and mitigate these concerns, the centre’s hours will be limited to 6am to 7pm Monday to Friday, with children not permitted to play outside before or after these times.
There will also be no “amplified music or any form of musical instruments” allowed to be played or made available to play outside.
The developer must also erect a 2m high fence that has no gaps to serve as an acoustic barrier, and install windows and doors in room four that are at least 4mm thick to reduce sound escaping from indoor play.
These windows and doors “must remain closed during indoor play”.
And there will be 16 dedicated carparking spaces with an onsite turning bay that “will ensure that cars can enter and exit the site in a forward direction”.
A needs analysis attached to the centre’s application revealed Moranbah had an shortage of childcare places with a “demonstrable” need for at “least two, possibly three” more additional long day care centres by 2031.
A traffic assessment showed the centre would generate 48 incoming cars during the hours of 7 to 9am.
IRC acting chief executive Darren Fettell said the development was “part of Council’s vision to supporting and enabling sustainability in our communities”.
“Access to childcare is important for many of our families in the Isaac region and council is pleased to work with the applicant to achieve a positive outcome,” Mr Fettell said.
“Throughout the application council considered a number of technical reports including traffic, carparking and engineering which informed the final design.”
Mr Fettell said any impacts could be “appropriately managed on the site” with conditions included to ensure it complies with the council’s development standards.
The approval now enters the appeal period.
The development will have six years to begin operations following the appeal period.
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