Neighbours protest against new childcare centre

An Aberfeldie church is boosting its income by leasing land to a developer for a childcare centre. But neighbours say the new business will be a loud and unnecessary blight in their quiet street.

A church in Aberfeldie is leasing land for a new childcare centre. But neighbours are saying no.

A childcare centre earmarked for Aberfeldie has been slammed by neighbours over fears it could cause traffic chaos and excessive noise.

St Andrews Church owns the land at 27 St Kinnord St and plans to lease it as a two-storey childcare centre to fund church services.

There are plans to close an existing non-profit kindergarten and Gymbaroo and demolish unused tennis courts on the site. Kindergarten services would be provided at the new childcare centre.

The centre will accommodate 118 children for long day care and will typically open for at least eight hours a day and at least 48 weeks a year.

The real estate listing showing the area for the child care development.

About 50 objectors have said the new facility is not needed because there is already a childcare centre 350m away that also offers long day care for children in the same age group. But St Andrew’s reverend Michael Danaher said a long-term lease would “unlock the value of the church”.

“Like many small inner-city churches, St Andrew’s Aberfeldie relies on the generous support of its parishioners, who struggle to meet rising costs,” he said.

“Leasing part of the land will generate an income that will ease this burden and keep the ministry alive.”

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Mr Danaher said he understood residents were concerned about traffic flow and a possible loss of amenity in the street. “These concerns were anticipated, and have been factored into preliminary architectural designs,” he said.

St Kinnord St resident Jon Fleming is one of the nearby neighbours objecting to the new centre. He said a double-storey childcare centre would “have an unreasonable impact upon the amenity of the surrounding properties due to its bulk and scale”.

“It will have an unacceptable negative effect on the community which could lead to residents leaving the area,” he said.

Expressions of interest to develop a childcare centre on the land have closed.