DA 115/2010 - 120 place Childcare Centre at 135 Excelsior Parade

A proposed development for a 120 place childcare centre at 135 Excelsior Parade was recently discussed at the Committee meeting.

The location of the proposed centre is opposite the light industrial complex on Excelsior Parade, roughly opposite Triggs. This area services and repairs many cars and motor-homes and receives landscaping, hardware and timber supplies. The nature of these businesses entails frequent traffic in to and out of the existing industrial area and many more than usual car and traffic movements associated with drop-off/pickup and vehicle safety checking.

There is concern that a Child Care Centre of the proposed size does not adequately accommodate for traffic movements and flow in to and out of the Centre as well as have sufficient off street car-parking spaces, with the potential to generate more congestion around the light industrial area, which is already having difficulty dealing with traffic flow and adequate parking.

The size of the Centre has the potential to compromise the existing diversity of childcare operators in the area. There are currently 12 local child care centres and preschools, with almost non-existent waiting lists. The local community has an average age of 56, and so a baby-boom is highly unlikely to necessitate such a large Centre as is proposed.

The current diversity of childcare providers offers considerable choice within the community and the viability of several of the smaller centres would be compromised by such a large centre in the area.

Finally there is a lack of detailed diagrams to assess the full impact of the scale of the buildings, stormwater effects on the adjacent wetland and flow-paths. This means the full impact of the Centre can not be assessed from the information available. Additionally the parcel of land in particular, and the surrounding areas in general, are well vegetated and the natural environment is valued by the residents. The removal of all mature vegetation and replacement by hard surfaces would seriously compromise the ridgeline corridor that currently
exists.

The advertising period for this proposal occurred in between Chronicles and so the formal exhibition period has just closed, however if you want to make a comment do it ASAP, LMCC is usually pretty good about receiving community feedback.

The  application can be viewed on LMCC’s website if you search for DA 115/2010 and give LMCC a ring 49210333 and make your issues known or send LMCC an email council@lakemac.nsw.gov.au.