Plans have been revealed to demolish and rebuild a childcare centre near Byron Bay
The proposed “coastal cottage” style redevelopment, in one of the Byron Shire’s exclusive enclaves, would increase the centre’s capacity by about 80 per cent.
Byron Shire
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Plans to demolish a Byron childcare centre and rebuild the facility have been lodged with Byron Shire Council.
About $1.5 million worth of works has been proposed in the development application lodged by a planning firm on behalf of Kool Beanz Suffolk Park Pty Ltd.
The DA has sought consent for the demolition of the existing 23-place centre.
It has proposed a new centre with a 42 child capacity in its place.
“Kool Beanz child care centres are family owned and operated centres offering state of the art facilities,” a report prepared on behalf of the applicant said.
“Each of the Kool Beanz child care centres in NSW and in QLD engage with the local environment and provide a valuable service to the community.
“There are existing Kool Beanz child care centres in Byron Bay, Mullumbimby, Ocean Shores, Casuarina in New South Wales and in Nerang in Queensland.”
The report said the proposed new building was inspired by a “typical coastal cottage” aesthetic.
It was proposed to be clad in weatherboard with “colonial style bar details” in the design.
The report said the plan to increase the centre’s capacity to 42 children would “assist accessibility by families of Suffolk Park to sought child care services”.
“The availability of the uses will also strengthen the local economy through the construction and operational phases through employment and ongoing patronage of the proposed tenancies,” the report said.
“The proposed building has been designed to provide a high quality built form which will contribute positively to the built environment whilst fitting the allocated project budget.”
The proposal is on public exhibition with the council until July 18.
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