The cities of Stirling and Melville have become prime locales for new childcare centres this year, despite residents’ and councillors’ concerns about their impact on amenity and traffic congestion.
The cities of Stirling and Melville have become prime locales for new childcare centres this year, despite residents’ and councillors’ concerns about their impact on amenity and traffic congestion.
That’s according to analysis by Business News of 18 applications to develop either standalone or mixed-use childcare centres in Perth’s inner metropolitan suburbs submitted to the joint development assessment panel since January.
In that time, all bar one development proposed across that area were granted approval, with councillors from the City of Melville joining with presiding and specialist members in August to refuse an application to build a facility at the corner of Weber Street and Leach Highway in Willagee.
That development, put forward by Accord Property, would have involved the demolition of two houses to make way for a single-storey facility valued at $2.05 million and designed to accommodate up to 86 children.
Councillors and specialist members unanimously rejected the development after expressing concerns with several aspects of the proposal, including the location of the main play area, which would’ve abutted a footpath along Leach Highway.
The panel also noted air quality issues given proximity to the highway, with specialist member John Syme having successfully moved a motion noting the matter had been improperly addressed in the application.
All other proposals were approved, with $8.61 million worth of developments in Bicton, Applecross, Ardross, and Attadale given the go ahead despite objections from councillors.
Proposals in the City of Melville appeared to be the most contentious, with councillors Matthew Woodall and Nicholas Pazolli recommending in all five instances that proposed developments not go ahead.
Councillors noted varying issues with proposed developments, including proximity to main roads, impact of noise on nearby residents, and town planning objectives that aim to limit non-residential land use.
All complaints were subsequently overruled by specialist members.
That contrasts with the approach taken in the City of Stirling, where councillors David Boothman and Suzanne Migdale voted in favour of progressing four of five proposed childcare centres in Tuart Hill, Mirrabooka, Hamersley, and Yokine.
Those developments are worth a total of $22.7 million, with the highest value development being Maccabi WA’s $11 million, mixed-use Jewish community centre in Yokine.
That facility will include a childcare centre designed to accommodate up to 120 children, as well as a youth group wing, community offices and a Holocaust education centre.
The only proposal to come up against split opinion was for a $2.1 million facility at the corner of Unwin Avenue and Hale Road in Wembley Downs.
Councillors recommended in September that the panel refuse an application to build a childcare centre, noting issues with traffic congestion as one reason for their objection.
Taylor Burrell Barnett, the applicant working on behalf of the site’s owners, argued in its submission to the panel that its proposal had addressed these matters with compliant on-site parking and sightlines for cars entering and exiting the site.
The proposed centre, which will have 82 places available upon completion, became a lightning rod for community opposition in recent months, with residents reportedly claiming the city should be held accountable if any injuries or deaths arise from traffic congestion were caused by the development.
City of Stirling Mayor Mark Irwin addressed the behaviour at a council meeting that same month, calling threats of legal action unfair, while defending the involvement of independent experts in the planning process.
The centre has since been approved for development.
Other developments to face council opposition included a childcare centre in Mount Claremont, where councillors from the City of Nedlands earlier this month sought to defer the application on the premise it should first receive federal environmental approval.
That recommendation was voted down, with councillors instead successfully proposing the property owner reimburse the city for the cost of 10 endemic trees.
Councillors nevertheless voted against the amended proposal.
