New plans to convert old Belmont Bowling Club into Chipmunks play centre
The former Belmont Bowling Club will cater to a very different demographic if new plans are approved to turn it into a kids’ play centre.
Central Coast
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The site of the former Belmont Bowling Club will be reincarnated as a Chipmunks Playland and Cafe under plans for a $650,000 renovation.
SCA Property Group has lodged a development application (DA) to formerly change the site’s zoning from “registered club” to indoor “recreation facility”.
The DA also seeks consent for the fit out which will include various play areas; an under-5’s area; two private party rooms and seating for 276 people over two levels.
Various back of house areas including amenities, kitchen, change room, loading dock and servery will be retained.
“The existing building is currently vacant as a result of the Belmont Bowling Club amalgamating with the Belmont Golf Club.” SCA’s statement of environmental effects read.
“The children’s indoor play centre will occupy the internal areas of the former club, repurposing the former club via alterations and additions to the existing fit out.
“It is not proposed to alter or use the external spaces, including the bowling greens. The lower retail level of the development referred to as Belmont Central shopping centre will not be impacted by the proposal.”
Belmont Central is anchored by a Woolworths supermarket and BWS liquor store.
It comes after the bowling club sold the site for $4.8 million in November 2017 to pave the way for its amalgamation with the golf club.
The two-level former registered club has a total of gross floor area of 1292sq m with vehicle access from High St and 104 carparking spaces.
New Zealand-based Chipmunks Playland and Café franchises a chain of indoor play centres across Australia for children aged 0-11 years.
The centres cater for birthday parties, private function hire venue as well as the option for vacation care and after school childcare services.
The DA states the intended operating hours for the Belmont centre from 9am to 8.30pm, Monday to Saturday, and a 10am opening on Sunday were less intensive than the 11pm Friday and midnight Saturday curfews imposed on the bowling club.
It envisages it will have about 60 patrons a day Monday to Friday and 300 patrons a day on weekends.
In its report SCA anticipates it would generate 50 to 100 additional vehicle movements per hour at peak time, in both directions, on Walter and High streets.
But it states the existing road network could handle the increase.
“The proposal will increase consumer choice and help to support the economic viability of the
surrounding retail premises,” SCA’s environmental statement reads.
It goes on to state the proposed play centre would offer more children’s entertainment and generate jobs, providing “a positive social and economic benefit to the locality”.
But not everyone is convinced
In a submission one nearby resident said the single glazed floor to ceiling glass walls originally installed must be double glazed.
“This glass does not stop any noise from being contained within the confines of the building,” she said.
“Children must have fun BUT their excitement/squealing cannot be contained within the confines of this building.”
She also said despite `No Standing’ signs people still parked along the southern side of High St, which impeded two-way traffic and the centre would only increase congestion.
Chipmunks founder Lance Spence told NewsLocal the company was looking to open a number of play centres on the Central Coast but some plans had been delayed.
“The coronavirus has slowed the progress and delayed these projects’ time frames,” he said.