Edens Landing childcare centre disputes Logan council cap on staffing as a traffic fix

The developer of a three-storey childcare centre is appealing a decision to limit the number of staff in an effort to keep traffic down in a small southside suburb.

A small southside suburb, already serviced by four childcare centres, is bracing for increased traffic when its fifth facility is built on a busy and dangerous corner.

Residents of Edens Landing said the suburb was set for gridlock, an increase in crashes and road rage if the three-storey project proceeded on the corner of Avonmore St and Castile Cres.

Logan City Council approved the developer ITK Enterprises’ plans for the 108-place centre, which backs on to the existing Edens Landing State School, in April.

But the council limited the number of staff to 19 before 9am and after 3pm, in an effort to reduce traffic to the area at peak times.

The centre will back on to the Edens Landing State School, where two schoolchildren have been hit by cars in the past five years when running out on to nearby Castile Cres.

The council also ruled that no staff from the centre were ever allowed to park on the road reserve at the front of the centre.

Avonmore St, Edens Landing, where a new childcare centre is being planned.

“The purpose of this condition is to ensure that the peak time for parents dropping off and collecting children is not between 9am and 3pm and, is instead, between 7am and 9am and

3pm and 5pm,” council officers said.

“Between 9am and 3pm staff parking demand will rely on visit spaces, which will not be available to staff during the peak time when parents are dropping off or collecting children.”

ITK Enterprises objected to the decision and last month lodged an appeal in the Planning and Environment Court.

Connor O’Meara solicitor Michael Connor, for the developer, said restricting staffing was unreasonable and could adversely affect the operation of the centre.

He pointed out that not all employees would drive to work and that the centre had provision for 31 carparking bays comprising 19 spaces for staff, 11 for visitors and a servicing bay.

“A restriction on the maximum number of staff impacts on the ability to provide appropriate levels of care for children and may mean the operator is in breach of its provider approval,” he said.

“Removal of the disputed conditions will cause no adverse impacts on the traffic arrangements of the proposed development on the adjacent street network.

“The proposed development will provide sufficient carparking to satisfy the expected demand for the number and type of vehicles.”

Residents said there were already five childcare centres operating in the suburb of 6000 residents.

Eden’s Landing resident Chelsea Dodd moved out of the suburb after a car crashed through her front fence. Picture: Sarah Marshall

They said they had put up with cars parked across driveways and council fines for residents’ cars on median strips and were angry at the lack of consultation

They also complained that the driveway into the proposed centre would cross the footpath that students used to get into Edens Landing State School.

Former Edens Landing resident Chelsea Dodd said there was already morning traffic gridlock in the suburb and she was happy to move out of the area after her former street became a dangerous rat run.

Edens Landing resident Penny Tolloi lives on Castile Cres where students from Edens Landing State School cross. She is concerned about the speed of cars and blind spots on the road. Picture: Sarah Marshall

Ms Dodd said the traffic problem and poorly designed roads in the suburb came to a head after a 15-year-old boy ploughed a car through her front fence in 2020.

She said her ex-neighbours had since been fined for parking on the footpath outside their home and a large concrete traffic island had been built as a calming device in the middle of her former street, Overland Dr.

“The suburb does not need more traffic and the roads are dangerous enough already,” she said.

“We tried to get drivers to slow down and asked the council to fix a dangerous bend in one of the main roads – but we were ignored.

“Another childcare centre on that corner is a recipe for disaster.”

Originally published as Edens Landing childcare centre disputes Logan council cap on staffing as a traffic fix