Childcare centres planned for Parramatta, Cumberland council areas in 2022

A plethora of childcare centres are sprouting up across western Sydney. See if one’s planned for your neighbourhood.

From small childcare centres to multistorey facilities, a steady stream of development applications are proposed for the Cumberland and Parramatta council areas.

See which ones are proposed and those that have been canned or given the green light.

CARLINGFORD

263 Pennant Hills Rd: It has grabbed community attention for its bulky plan for 629 apartments over six blocks soaring up to 12 storeys, but the inclusion of a 110-place childcare centre at the Pennant Hills Rd site is likely to polarise the public as well.

Meriton is planning 17 shops and a 1146 basement carpark at 263 Pennant Hills Rd, which is already notorious for its congestion.

A development application has been lodged with Parramatta Council but ultimately the Sydney Central City Planning Panel will determine if the $30 million project gets the green light or is dumped.

A childcare centre slated for Pennant Hills Rd at Carlingford is part of an apartment complex.

45 Mobbs Lane: The Parramatta local planning panel has rejected plans for a 64-place facility, Little Zak’s, which residents feared would be a traffic and pedestrian hazard.

The facility will include a 16-lot carpark which residents and the panel deemed inadequate.

Resident David Conway was one of 33 residents objecting to the proposal.

“This is the second time council has refused a childcare centre at this site,’’ he said.

“The site is completely unsuitable for a childcare centre for many reasons, not least of which are the traffic problems. The site is just over the crest of a hill and at peak times vehicles can pass at the rate of one every five seconds. The basement carpark is inadequate and unworkable, a situation which provides for potential traffic chaos, if not a serious accident.”

The decision may be appealed in the Land and Environment Court.

An artist impression for Little Zak's Academy childcare centre at 45 Mobbs Lane Carlingford. The proposal was rejected for its large size in 2016.

DUNDAS

331-333 Kissing Point Rd: A double-storey Montessori childcare centre planned for 90 children is riling neighbours who object to the size of the development, the extra traffic it will generate, the lack of privacy and noise it would spark.

The matter was discussed before the Parramatta local planning panel on July 19 following 30 submissions into the proposal.

Resident Alison Minter is concerned about the noise pollution.

“We’re in a very quiet residential area,’’ she said.

“There is no way that acoustic barriers are going to contain the noise of 90 children playing outside for long periods of time.

“We’re not talking about a couple of hours during the day — we’re talking about long periods of time.’’

She said her property would diagonally back on to the centre and adversely impact shift workers and the growing number of people who work from home.

Kissing Point Rd could be getting another childcare centre.

“My husband is an essential worker; he’s a nurse, so he works shifts,’’ she said.

“How is he supposed to sleep when there are 90 children playing outside? Acoustic barriers are going to do nothing. Anyone who’s been near a school knows the noise of 90 children is going to be incredibly loud.’’

She also failed to see the need for another childcare centre when Little Zak’s Academy had also opened “literally three blocks down the road’’ and one was under development on Victoria Rd.

“Surely we don’t need another one. There is a proliferation of childcare centres in the immediate area.’’

Residents are also concerned that 23 carpark bays at the centre are not enough and would force drivers to park on Kissing Point Rd, Fremont Ave and the narrow Bennetts Rd East.

But the planners speaking on behalf of the applicants insisted the building was designed to keep noise down and the basement carpark would not pose problems with drivers queuing to enter and leave it.

“The basement has been designed and configured so that it is safe, convenient and readily accessible,’’ SJB Planning director Scott Barwick said.

Planners also said there had been a thorough assessment into the acoustics and “quieter children” would be on the ground floor of the centre, where 16 staff would work.

Subject to approval, the centre will open Monday to Friday from 7am to 6pm.

The panel is expected to make a decision before July 23.

DUNDAS VALLEY

1-7 Simpson St: After much controversy, a Citilink Constructions development application for a 90-place childcare centre under two unit blocks has been submitted to Parramatta Council. Plans include 44 units and a double-level basement parking. The community lobbied against the original plans for 62 flats over six storeys, arguing the mix of private and government housing and 19m height was unsuitable the neighbourhood.

In July 2020, a 109-signature petition objecting to the plans was presented to Parramatta Council. Four houses were acquired for the project.

The Dundas Valley community has long opposed units for Simpson St. They are pictured in July 2020. Picture: Monique Harmer

GREYSTANES

74 Greystanes Rd: A $1.9 million two-storey childcare centre with parking for 11 vehicles in a basement is planned for the busy road. Applicant Charlie Baini lodged with Cumberland Council in January.

MAYS HILL

169-171 Burnett St: Sandpits, lemon trees, giant flower pots, vegetable beds and play equipment — a childcare centre proposed for Mays Hill looks more like a resort for youngsters.

A development application was lodged with Parramatta Council in June for the double-storey, 60-place childcare centre with a 20-space basement parking proposed for the block on the corner of Napier St.

An artist's impression of the childcare centre at Burnett St, Mays Hill.

Proponents’ plans show a centre for 10 children aged two and under, 20 aged between two and three and 30 aged between three and five.

The ground level would contain the play areas while part of the first floor will house the staff room, kitchen, laundry and toilets.

The Baini Architects-designed centre would include pedestrian entry from Burnett St andcar access from Napier St.

In a report prepared by Think Planners, the location is deemed suitable for a childcare facility.

“The subject site is ideal for accommodating a childcare facility as it is located within an established residential area, opposite a high density residential precinct and is within walking distance to neighbourhood shops, public transportation, educational establishments, places of public worship and also within close proximity to the Parramatta City centre,’’ the report said.

“Think Planners Pty Ltd recommends the approval of the application, subject to necessary, relevant and appropriate conditions of consent.’’

The centre will cater for 60 children.

NORTHMEAD

11 Margaret St: A 53-place childcare centre is proposed for this residential street. A development application has been lodged with Parramatta Council and will include space for 14 cars.

PARRAMATTA

134-136 Thomas St: Plans for a childcare centre for 79 children with apartments above the facility have been lodged with Parramatta Council on the same street where two boarding houses are in the pipeline.

The council rejected ambitious plans for two seven-storey blocks containing a 237-room boarding house at 85-91 Thomas St in February, because of its height which should not have breached four storeys and plans to build on flood-prone wetlands.

But despite opponents breathing a sigh of relief, the project could still proceed if it complied with height restrictions.

There is another 72-room boarding house for 96 lodgers planned for 71 Thomas St — a project that could create a headache over concerns it would be too close to the proposed childcare centre.

If approved the facility will have 10 units built on the second and third storeys and a 28-place carpark with 10 bicycle spaces over two basement levels, and a communal roof terrace.

Along with the boarding houses in the same street, Parramatta resident Kaye Fraser has also seen red flags because of the proposed centre’s proximity to James Ruse Drive.

An artist impression for a ground-floor childcare centre and apartments at 134-136 Thomas St, Parramatta.

“The reason we’re opposed is because there’s already so much traffic on James Ruse Drive,’’ she said.

She said a State Government plan to ban right-hand turns from Pemberton St on to Victoria Rd would only drive more traffic to Thomas St for motorists to reach James Ruse Drive.

“There’s already lots of traffic on James Ruse Drive and if you put a childcare centre one house from James Ruse Drive, think of all the parents doing pick-ups and drop-offs,’’ she said.

The childcare centre and apartment block would be 11m.

Residents have called for traffic lights to be installed at the Pemberton and Thomas streets intersection. Mrs Fraser said residents living in the “5000 units” facing Parramatta River nearby also burdened traffic.

However, a TEF Consulting-written traffic report said the childcare centre plans complied with council and Transport for NSW requirements.

“The additional traffic from the proposed development will have no detrimental impacts on the street network operation,’’ TEF director Oleg Sannikov said.

NORTH PARRAMATTA

21 Bellevue St: A double-storey childcare centre has been deferred,  a welcome decision for residents who were vehemently opposed to the building that has already caused “mental stress’’.

Resident Kusman K C told Parramatta planning panel on July 19 that the centre had been reduced from 60 to 52 places, with 13 car spaces, but it was not in the public interest.

Residents were baffled about Parramatta Council reversing its original assessment that it was out of character with the location but now deeming it compatible.

“We are struggling to reconcile this change,’’ Ms K C said.

“What exactly is the planned future character of the area then?

“Yes, we believe it in the public interest to provide more childcare options for families. However, it is not in the public interest to build a childcare centre on this site.’’

The childcare proposed for 21 Bellevue St, North Parramatta.

She said most Bellevue St residents did not have the chance to undertake community consultation.

She said her mum, an aged care nurse who arrived home at 7am, would suffer from having a noisy childcare facility in the same street.

“If this development goes ahead, this is going to have a severe impact on the quality of life for my family,’’ she said.

She urged the panel to take a “holistic” approach on the impact it would have on the community.

“This has been ongoing since 2019 and has contributed to significant mental stress …,’’ she said.

Fellow resident Belinda Barakat Rahme said a traffic survey conducted last August was not valid because it was undertaken in the quiet Covid lockdown.

However she was concerned that it predicted about 50 more cars entering the street from drop-offs.

The applicant, Tarun Chadha, said there were oversized indoor and outdoor spaces.

Another representative speaking for the application said the street would cope with the extra traffic during peak times.

“Certainly there wasn’t any concern with our traffic engineer in that regard,’’ he said.

“I don’t believe that this section of Bellevue St is unsafe in any way.’’

The panel unanimously decided to defer the application for five years. Its reasons for delaying it were to ensure the local amenity is maintained and so that it adhered to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act.

1-5 Saunders St: Parramatta local planning panel in February recommended a 144-place childcare centre be rejected following strong community objections.

The application received 32 submissions opposing the plans for the three-storey building on the 1538sq m site occupied by three dwellings.

Plans include a 36-lot basement carpark in the high density neighbourhood.

The panel rejected the application for failing environmental requirements such as insufficient groundwater protection, landscaping and water sensitive urban design.

The Saunders Rd childcare centre has been rejected.

PENDLE HILL

15 Targo Rd: A childcare centre approved for this main road will house up to 56 children. A revised development application recently requested the facility's capacity increase from 48 to 56 children and include extra roofing.

WINSTON HILLS

18-19 Ulandi Place: After a long community campaign, a 112-place childcare centre in the quiet cul-de-sac has been rejected after the independent Parramatta local planning panel labelled it an overdevelopment of the site.

A decision published on Parramatta Council’s website on February 18, the panel blamed the intensification of traffic, road safety concerns and failure for the applicants not to obtain bush fire safety authority for leading it to object to plans.

At a meeting that week, a traffic expert told the panel traffic would increase 10-fold despite having a 28-space basement carpark.

The site would be on bushfire prone land and plans drew strong community opposition.

JMT Consulting traffic and transport consultant Josh Milston said it was unusual for such large childcare centres to be built in cul-de-sacs.

“I’ve been a traffic engineer for over 15 years and I haven’t seen one yet ... certainly of this scale,’’ he said during the February 15 meeting.

“A childcare centre as proposed would increase that traffic flow to over 100 vehicles an hour.

“We’re talking going from 10 to 100 — a 10-fold increase for what is a quiet, residential local street.’’

Mr Milston said that generated safety concerns because the street was narrow and cars would not be able to pass each other.

“It is simply not safe — the applicant has failed to undertake a road safety audit that may have addressed some of these issues,’’ he said.

“You have to remember for a childcare centre it’s not one person driving in and leaving their car there all day — it’s one person driving, dropping their kids off and then leaving so effectively every child, every one to two children, there is two vehicle trips; one going in and then another coming out.’’

Mr Milston said the applicant, which is listed on council documents as Ulandi Kids and owned by Mr M A Draybi, quoted the same traffic figures so the “numbers aren’t in dispute”.

Despite the extra volume of traffic expected to be generated from the proposal, a traffic report prepared for the development application stated it would have no adverse impacts on local roads.

Resident and engineer Michael Cahalane lodged one of 25 submissions opposing the plan.

“The council engineer did report no significant impact on the road network and had no objection so we are astounded in terms of that assessment and wonder how they came up with that,’’ he told the panel.

He said there was a bushfire 100m from the earmarked site in late 2020 and it would be concerning how to evacuate 112 children and babies to the reserve at Churchill Drive with no footpath while accommodating “panicked parents” and firefighters.

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