Another childcare centre proposed for Cheltenham

It’s been described as the perfect location for a childcare centre that would “serve the community well”. But a plan to turn a heritage-protected Cheltenham bungalow into a space for 85 children has left neighbouring retirees fuming.

Yet another childcare centre could be coming to Cheltenham but some residents are not happy.

The generation gap has widened in one Cheltenham street, where retirees are up in arms about a proposed childcare centre.

The proposed centre on the corner of Charman Rd and Sydney St would cater for up to 85 children at the single-storey “inter-war bungalow”, protected by a heritage overlay.

It would be the sixth childcare centre for the sandbelt suburb, which is experiencing an influx of young families.

Almost 20 objections have been lodged so far and retired Sydney St resident Lesley Jamieson said her narrow residential street — where the childcare entrance is proposed — would not be able to cope with the increased traffic demand.

Ms Jamieson said the street was already busy enough without an estimated 260 extra cars travelling in and out of the centre each day.

Several trees would also be pulled down and parts of the rear building would be demolished to make way for a separate two-storey building.

“Most residents in the vicinity of the proposed childcare centre are retired so we are all feeling a little overwhelmed at the proposal,” Ms Jamieson said.

“We currently have one side of the street taken up all day with commuters, making the street hard to negotiate already, especially if there are cars parked on the other side, and the corner already has a build up of traffic in peak times down Charman Rd.”

She also feared the site’s heritage and vegetation would be severely impacted if the proposal goes ahead.

It comes as the three-storey Kids House Cheltenham Early Learning Centre opened at nearby Bay Rd’s Assembly urban industrial estate this month, housing more than 100 children.

There are also another four childcare centres nearby.

The site of the proposed childcare centre at 203 Charman Rd, Cheltenham

But Metropol Planning spokesman Michael Dunn said the convenient location was the perfect place for another childcare centre and said the applicant was confident the development would “serve the community well”.

Mr Dunn said the design also minimised the impact on local traffic and parking, and architects with specific heritage expertise had been employed.

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“The development is aiming to maximise the value of the site to the community, while upkeeping all the heritage features of the site,” Mr Dunn said.

“The adaption and conservation of a heritage building reduces energy usage... and retains the embodied energy in the existing building.”

A recent proposal at the site to build two townhouses at the back of the property was knocked back, and the council’s planning and amenity director Hamish Reid said community objections would once again be considered when the matter was decided upon.