Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre hopeful for green light on ambitious expansion

Strongly supported by working parents and opposed by nearby neighbours, a local child centre is getting close to a green light on their expansion plans.

A NEIGHBOUR of an expanding childcare centre has claimed it is an “overdevelopment of the site” as the owners prepare to expand in a bid to meet the growing need for child care places in Townsville.

But while not everyone is happy about the expansion at Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre, the centre has a number of backers.

Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre is located at 39 Ninth Ave, Railway Estate. Picture: Google Maps.

The development proposal, which was on public notification until July 18, garnered nine supporters and two objectors through submissions.

Situated in Railway Estate at the corner of Ninth Ave and Ninth St, the family-owned child care facility was built in 2016, replacing the Railway Estate Pre-School Centre.

In January 2021, the owners of Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre purchased the property at the rear of the child care centre at 42 Tenth Ave, for $375,000.

The house at 42 Tenth Ave would be removed if Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre was successful with their expansion plan. Picture: Google Maps.

Acting on behalf of the learning centre, Milford Planning submitted a development application to Townsville City Council, outlining plans to extend the child centre into the adjoining lot.

It was then that the council discovered that while the previous preschool had approval to host 30 children, the new facility should have undergone a material change use process to approve the increase in floor area to 335sq m, and to host 70 children.

To remedy this oversight, the owners were encouraged to either “provide justification for the lawful use of the existing centre” or to “include the centre currently operating as part of the application for the expansion of the centre” – they pursued the latter.

Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre has plans to extend into the property at 42 Tenth Ave. Picture: Google Maps.

During a public notification period, locals were asked whether they supported plans for extension to accommodate 98 children and 14 staff on a land area of 1,618sq m.

This would include the removal of the existing building at 42 Tenth Ave, provision of tandem parking for staff (total of 12 spaces) to the east of the site, a disabled car space to the north, and the creation of an entry via Ninth St which exited via Tenth Ave.

Additionally, there would be 16 on street parking spaces on Ninth Street, a two storey extension with an internal play area (83sq m), toilets and stairs leading to the first

floor office space (120sq m), and an external play area (115.80sq m).

Brazier Motti Senior Principal Stephen Motti

Speaking on behalf of neighbour Andrew Lucas, Brazier Motti Senior Principal Stephen Motti said the proposal “represents overdevelopment of the site”.

Supportive of the expansion, Brooke Lahtinen said increased capacity and availability at the centre allowed her to work more when her children could attend more often.

She was also supportive of the increased employment opportunities.

Comparing it with other recently approved local child centres, he said the site was “unable to cater for the number proposed, nor address typical requirements required of others in terms of scale, screening, landscaping, carparking and protection of amenity”.

The owners of the Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre declined to comment.

Council will make a decision on the proposal at a later date. 

Originally published as Amazing Grace Early Learning Centre hopeful for green light on ambitious expansion