Hendra mega childcare plan on bowls club site sparks 120 objections, flood, traffic fears

Residents in an up-market inner-north suburb thought they had scored a win when Council knocked back a housing estate on a floodprone former bowlo. Then this 239-place childcare centre plan was lodged.

Paul Gannon and Shane Matthews (far right) with Lethem St residents at the former bowlo site. Picture: John Gass

Brisbane City Council is assessing a mega childcare centre proposal despite 120 objections from residents and independent engineers, town planners and architects.

The development application (DA) proposes a two-storey childcare facility with 239 places on a former, floodprone lawn bowls club site.

Accredited engineers and town planners engaged by the resident‘s group claim the plan has potential flood impacts, will greatly increase traffic on their quiet streets and harm their property values.

A resident’s group formed to fight the project said they wanted development, but only if it was appropriate for one of the last pieces of prime real estate in the Hendra area.

To make matters worse, the site could have become parkland.

Paul Gannon and Shane Matthews (far right) with Lethem St residents at the former bowlo site. Picture: John Gass

Property developer Kenlynn, the previous owner of the 25 Lethem St property, consulted widely with residents on its plans for a low-density housing estate before pulling out.

It offered Council the land at an attractive price, for public green space, which was not taken up.

“We agreed with the previous developer (Kenlynn) that we should put houses there. That makes sense as it’s a very quiet residential area,’’ resident Shane Matthews, a qualified engineer, said.

“But a 239-place childcare centre is not logical at all.

“I can‘t see any sense in it. There’s no demand for it.

“We have 12 childcare centres in our vicinity already and two are looking to close down as they are sitting at 20 per cent occupancy.

“It‘s prime real estate in this area, but what I want is something appropriate there.

“We are an elderly suburb. My wife and I are 53 – we’re one of the younger ones – so where’s the demand for this?’’

Mr Matthews said the present owner of the site had not engaged with them and Council’s planners appeared not to have taken their 120 submissions into account.

Town planners for the present developer were approached for comment.

Civic Cabinet Chair for Planning, Councillor Adam Allan, said council’s independent planning officers were assessing the application.

“Council wrote to the applicant in April, 2023 raising several concerns around the land use, noise, traffic, setbacks and the landscaping and is currently awaiting a response from the applicant.

“I encourage anyone who has feedback on the proposal to make a submission, which are always considered to ensure the best outcome for the local community.”

The childcare centre DA, which also included an outdoor sports and recreation facility, was submitted in December, 2021.

Another resident, Paul Gannon, said they had received no feedback from Council since then on the many issues they had raised in their submissions, which alleged multiple noncompliances with local planning laws.

Councillor Adam Allan.

“We‘ve put in over 120 objections. We engaged our engineers and town planners to ensure compliance,” Mr Gannon said.

“We did get a hearing a week or so ago from the head of the chair of planning (Cr Allan), but all they said was they were still reviewing it.

“We just feel we aren’t getting a fair say.

“Our community needs houses, not bloody childcare centres.

“We are right on the boundary of Clayfield and Ascot, so it‘s a really unique piece of land.

“The building they have proposed is a two-storey tin shed-style place and we are in a street of typical Queenslanders low-density houses.”