Dundas, Merrylands, Parramatta childcare centres: New centres planned for western Sydney
A huge influx of childcare centres are on the cards for Parramatta’s residential streets with more than 12 applications under assessment.
Parramatta
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Parents love them, while neighbours can hate them with a large influx of people coming and going, and plenty of noisy children – childcare centres are among the most polarising developments in the Parramatta and Cumberland communities.
We break down the facilities that have been approved and proposed:
CARLINGFORD
32 Honiton Ave: Plans have been lodged with Parramatta Council for a childcare centre for 93 children with ground- and basement-level parking for 25 cars.
The plans were lodged in January and are still being assessed.
45 Mobbs Lane: Plans for a 64-place childcare centre could cause traffic and pedestrian hazards for the community. Designcorp Architects has submitted a development application for the childcare centre at 45 Mobbs Lane to Parramatta Council and proposes to cater for 16 children under two, 32 two- and three-year-olds and 16 children aged three to six.
There will be a 16-space basement-level carpark and three playrooms alongside outdoor playground at the centre, which will open Monday to Friday from 7am to 7pm.
Neighbours David and Lorraine Conway urged Parramatta Council to reconsider the childcare centre after garnering 33 objections.
“We believe them to be comprehensive, reasonable and well-considered,’’ Mr Conway said.
“We believe that the site is totally unsuitable for a childcare centre and the DA proposes an
overdevelopment of the site.
“We believe that this development will have a very negative impact on our lives and on our
real estate asset.’’
Public feedback closed in January and plans are being reviewed.
DUNDAS
1 Bennetts Rd West: Despite potent community backlash, a 57-place childcare centre has been given the green light after Parramatta Local Planning Panel determined the application in January. The basement carpark will fit 15 cars.
A group of residents lobbying against the centre said it would be a horrendous addition to the cul-de-sac.
But the panel was satisfied with the road safety audit from independent road safety engineers. One member of the panel disagreed and said the traffic in the street would be unacceptable.
Bristol Group’s plans were also rejected by Parramatta Lord Mayor Michelle Garrard.
“Our hands are tied in relation to DAs but in saying that, I support the residents’ concerns,’’ she said in 2019.
“The street’s not wide enough … parking is a major issue. This is quite a large childcare centre being proposed with inadequate parking and that location, with parents leaving cars and residents leaving homes on top of that, is going to create chaos.”
DUNDAS VALLEY
83 Evans Rd: Applicants have proposed to change the use of a residential dwelling to a 33-place preschool. Plans before Parramatta Council were submitted on January 6 and are still up for public viewing.
7 Dobson Cres: Objections are mounting against a double-storey, 52-place childcare centre proposed for this site where it was rejected in August.
A resident, who wished not to be named, said the Iconic Plans project would generate too much noise.
“You’re looking at 50-plus children, 95 decibels. The acoustics impact is the real problem because even the State Government noise for industrial and commercial premises says there should be not in excess of 50 decibels so it’s not a major breach but an extreme breach of acoustic standards.’’
An application for a 62-place childcare centre on the same site was submitted in August but withdrawn following at least 10 objections.
The application, which includes parking for 12 vehicles, is being assessed.
1-7 Simpson St: Dundas Valley residents lobbying against childcare centres proved not all are approved. Citilink had plans for a 90-place childcare centre below a 62-apartment block rising 19m at Simpson St but they were withdrawn.
Residents fought against the development that included a two-level basement carpark below the building, which would be a mix of government and private housing. Residents wanted the height to be reduced to 11m.
GREYSTANES
15 Hyacinth St: A childcare centre for 28 children has been given the green light but it will go before the Cumberland local planning panel on February 10 so the facility can expand to 40 places. Designs have been amended so the first floor is reconfigured to provide indoor play area and reallocate basement carparking spaces. The 560sq m site is in a residential zone. Residents were notified for a fortnight in October and November, when no submissions were received.
MERRYLANDS
11 Hilltop Rd: A heritage-listed house, Burda, could be converted into a 56-place childcare centre but opposition is mounting against the plans, with opponents citing complaints over landscaping, noise and traffic congestion.
In December, plans were deferred so the Cumberland Council could obtain an independent heritage report and the applicant J. Khouri could lodge a further traffic study on the amended project.
If the childcare centre gets the go-ahead, Burda, the federation bungalow cottage, would open Monday to Friday 7am to 6pm and will include 28 places for children aged three to five, 20 for two- to three-year-olds and eight spots for those under two.
In December 2019, Cumberland Council’s local planning panel rejected the original proposal to convert the bungalow into a 70-place facility with 22 parking spaces because it failed to preserve the abode’s heritage significance with that number of children.
14 Hilltop Rd: A four-storey unit block below shops and a 50-place childcare centre will be built despite concerns about residents living too close to a childcare centre in the complex. The application before Cumberland Council was approved in July and will include 14 apartments and a two-level basement carpark for 41 cars at the site.
NORTHMEAD
A whopping, double-storey childcare centre for 92 children is proposed for 23-25 Balmoral Rd, which has drawn a groundswell of opposition after Parramatta Council called for public feedback.
It received 32 submissions and a 56-signature petition from 42 households which raised concerns over parking, traffic, overshadowing, noise, overdevelopment and a childcare centre within a residential area.
However, the development is recommended for approval because it “will be compatible with the emerging and planned future character of the area’’.
Parramatta Local Planning Panel is due to made a decision on the application on February 16.
NORTH PARRAMATTA
21 Bellevue St: A futuristic-looking childcare centre will replace an unassuming house if Parramatta Council approves plans for a double-storey, 42-place facility with a basement carpark. Architects Archidrome have submitted the contemporary designs for the 9m tall building. The public can provide feedback into the application from May 26 to June 16.
2-6 Brickfield St: 2-6 Brickfield St: Plans are under way to lob another level on a childcare centre already approved as a double-storey building for 45 children.
Under the applicant Mrs F. Karai, a development application has been submitted to Parramatta Council for to expand the centre, which was approved in 2020, by another extra level and allow 72 children.
The original parking proposal allocated 13 carparking spaces for an undercroft carpark but there will be 18 lots in the revised plans.
A Colston Budd Rogers and Kafes-prepared traffic report said extra traffic the proposed development would generate would have its greatest effects during weekday morning and afternoon peaks, when Brickfield and Ross streets carried up to 190 and 175 cars respectively during these periods.
However, it concluded that the location is accessible by public transport, the parking provision is adequate and the road network can cater for the boost in numbers to the childcare centre.The public can submit feedback about the plans from October 19 to November 9 by emailing cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/business-development/submissions.
52 Belmore St: Despite the support of Parramatta state Liberal MP Geoff Lee of residents who opposed a centre for 81 children in their quiet neighbourhood, the project was given the green light. Magenta’s double-storey facility will replace a bungalow on the 1092sq m site with a 22-lot basement carpark.
Parramatta Local Planning Panel in December considered plans which received 14 submissions, including two petitions, following concerns over increased traffic congestion, safety fears, the size, loss of privacy, an excess of local childcare centres and it being out of character with the area.
However, the panel unanimously approved the project, subject to conditions that included recommending start and finish times be staggered start and finish times to quell traffic congestion.
PENDLE HILL
163 Bungaree Rd: A staggering 140 children would be housed into a two-storey building if approval to demolish the existing property is approved.
Applicant Joe Belcastro lodged the application for the facility on the 3354sq m site with Parramatta Council in December and proposes to cater for 20 children under two, 40 children from two to three years old and 80 aged between three and five.
The centre would line a street mixed with residential and industrial properties, including Pendle Hill Meat Market on the corner of Bungaree and Hallmark streets.
It would also signal a massive increase in traffic by 111 cars an hour in the morning and 97 in the afternoon.
80 Pendle Way: A 94-place childcare centre on one of Pendle Hill’s busiest streets has been approved despite Cumberland Council guidelines stating it is not on a suitable road for such a facility.
At one stage, the Baini application proposed 114 spaces but the double-storey project for 94 children with 25 car spaces was approved in July.
There will be 18 teachers, 12 children aged zero to two, 30 in the two-three years bracket, 40 aged three to five years, and 32 aged five to six.
The council recently received a modified application.
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GREYSTANES
A 76-place childcare centre at Greystanes has been approved despite strong community fears it will cause “severe environmental damage” and add congestion to the “already choked streets”.
The Cumberland Local Planning Panel gave the application for the double-storey building at the corner of Ettalong Rd and Hickory St, the green light on March 10.
Residents say the location will force parents to park on the street because the childcare centre only plans to provide eight parking spots and there is just one entry and exit at Hickory St.
A petition against the childcare centre amassed 55 signatures to the council.
In feedback, one opponent said more cars would park illegally, just as they did when going to AJ’s Cafe at the corner of Ettalong and Old Prospect roads.“Students, pedestrians' lives are at risk due to the very high volume of extra vehicles,’’ the resident wrote.
“The increase in congestion will only deter people away as the appeal of Greystanes is being tarnished by the over development and insufficient infrastructure.’’
Objectors also labelled the centre unnecessary because it would be in a 2km radius of six centres — Goodstart Early Learning Pendle Hill, Pendle Hill Early Learning Centre, Ascent Childcare Centre, First Academy Preschool Childcare Centre, Wenty Children’s Centre and Smarties Preschool and Long Day Care Centre.The centre at 40-42 Ettalong Rd is just 350m from Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary School and St Paul’s Catholic College, which compounds traffic congestion.Another resident wrote: “The environmental damage will be severe, increasing to the already-choked street. Travelling in this area, traffic flow is at a standstill.’’
The panel approved the centre on the condition that the drop off and pick up problems were addressed and wants the management to encourage parents to use basement parking instead of parking on the street.
WINSTON HILLS
A 36-place childcare centre will pop up at Winston Hills if the facility is approved for 56 Caroline Chisholm Drive.
A double-storey building with nine parking spaces is proposed for the 724sq m site, where nine staff would work from Monday to Friday between 7am and 6pm. There would be 13 spaces for children under two, 15 for two to three-year-olds and eight children aged between three and five.
The first floor would house a staff room and lounge area, director's room, meeting room, kitchen, laundry and toilet.
After a month of consultation in August and September, the community raised concerns about traffic congestion, driver and pedestrian safety, noise pollution, the value of homes decreasing and the childcare being out of character with the area.
An "excessive'' number of children, inappropriate operating hours, in sufficient parking and the inappropriate change of use from residential to commercial were other criticisms but it is recommended the project get the green light following modifications that complied with Parramatta Council requirements.
Parramatta Local Planning Panel will make a decision on the development application on April 20.
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