How many childcare centres does Brisbane really need?

Does our city need all the childcare centres that have been popping up recently? Indooroopilly residents say “no’’.

Indooroopilly residents are concerned about a proposal for a childcare centre on their busy street. File photo: iStock

Residents in Russell Tce, Indooroopilly, are calling on Council to oppose plans for a childcare centre on the busy thoroughfare.

The centre would cater to 65 children, with extended opening hours from 6.30am to 7pm even though the area is zoned Low Density Residential (LDR).

Indooroopilly State School is on the opposite side of the street.

Full Digital Access: $5 per month for the first 3 months (conditions apply)

Keithia Wilson, whose family have lived in the area since 1864, said the street was used to access Moggill Rd in peak hour, and during school pick-up and drop-off, as well as during after-school care hours.

“There are considerable concerns about the impact on traffic flow, safe access, pedestrian safety and parking,’’ Professor Emeritus Wilson said.

“The developer has not submitted a Needs Report with the application.

The peak body representing childcare operators came out more than a year ago to warn about a looming glut of new centres which threatened to undermine the sector.

Industry giants G8 and Goodstart Early Learning earlier this year also had to issue warnings to the market which blamed an oversupply for downward pressure on their forecast returns.

Westside News also reported late last month that one centre in The Gap/Ashgrove was down to 28 per cent occupancy, despite being new and well regarded, and another had to hike annual fees by about 25 per cent because of the local oversupply.

Fears have also been expressed about an oversupply in the Sherwood area and also two nearby centres in Bardon.

The Indooroopilly State School (ISS) P&C earlier this week voted to object to the project.

The Indooroopilly Woods Residents’ Group has also been collecting submissions from ISS parents, many of whom were unaware of the proposal.

Submissions lodged to date include two from traffic engineers who live in the street.

OTHER TOP WESTSIDE STORIES

Gunman steals luxury car in street voted Brisbane’s best

Council takes decade to cut speed limit on dangerous road

Indooroopilly Shopping Centre’s latest plan to tackle traffic snarls

Normanby Hotel safe from unit tower plan — for now

CEO to pick new Mt Coot-tha restaurant manager after all councillors declare conflict

Elite Toowong school developing plan to tackle traffic

Despite that, there are three development applications current in the area for new childcare centres.

“This (the Russell Tce proposal) seems to indicate an ‘opportunistic’ approach to genuinely assessing and meeting community needs.

“Because of the small site, the proposal is for a three-level building which covers most of the block.’’

Prof Wilson said the scale was not compatible with nearby houses and the intent of an LDR zone.

Council planning laws state that non-dwelling projects in LDR areas must be on well-located sites of 3000sq m of more, but the Russell Tce property was only 1024sq m.

“Because of the small site, the proposal is for a three-level building which covers most of the block,’’ she said.

“If an area is zoned (LDR) then surely this precludes the insertion of a commercial facility right next door to places where people live.

“Importantly, once these commercial developments are ‘inserted’ into a street, there is no going back.

“They rarely can be repurposed should the business not prove to be viable.’’

Public submissions to Council close at 5pm this Friday (November 15) and can be submitted via Council’s online development application portal pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au

Written submissions can also be delivered in person to the Indooroopilly Council Office on level 1, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre (near JB Hi-Fi).

Details of the project: pdonline.brisbane.qld.gov.au (search for application A005230251)