There are still small kindergartens and child care centres dispersed throughout the Adelaide metropolitan area often in refurbished former houses. But in more recent years large often two storey child care centres ‘Early Learning Centres’ are being purpose built usually in or on the fringe of residential zones. These relatively large two storey child care centres can accommodate more than 100 children from babies to preschoolers and are open from 6.30 am to 6.30 pm. The centres are much larger than the surrounding residential buildings, they operate for different trading hours than the 7am-9pm that is usually considered maximum hours for small commercial uses such as shops, offices or consulting rooms.
In residential zones the size of commercial land uses is very restricted in floor area and scale. But these new child care centres exceed 1000 sq. metres in area and cater for more than 100 children. Although the surrounding residential houses are single storey and modest in size the child care centre are two storeys, with building frontages 40 or 50 metres wide. The traffic they generate is substantial over 12 hours of the day. Relatively large car parks for 25-30 vehicles are not uncommon and the movement of vehicles is in and out of one consolidated egress and exit point. In the winter months vehicles will arrive in the dark, and leave at night, so head light glare can be an issue.
The numerous proposals I have been involved in have had play areas for more than 100 children up on the first level and in some cases without any noise attenuation barriers. Without doubt the noise level of this large number of children playing (yelling, laughing, crying and screaming) will impact the neighbouring dwellings.
In residential zones the Planning and Design Code often categorises child care centres as a community service so the Planners tend to be sympathetic to the proposal as providing a needed community service. But I would argue this is misleading for child care centres of this scale are clearly non-residential land uses and commercial use. But the design code is worded in such a way that they are excluded from normal controls:
Non-residential development sited and designed to improve community accessibility to services primarily in the form of:
(b) community services such as educational facilities, community centres, places of worship child care facilities and other health and welfare services
The Planning and Design Code is interpreted by developers and consultants as the normal controls that would apply to a commercial development are not specifically applicable for child care centres. Therefore, their siting and design are less critically assessed because they are providing a community services. But elsewhere in the code there are references to:
“Predominantly residential development with complementary ancillary non-residential uses compatible with spacious and peaceful lifestyle for individual households”
“Commercial activities improve community access to services are of a scale and type to maintain residential amenity”
“Non -residential development sited and designed to complement the residential character and amenity of the neighbourhood”.
Whether a child care centre is a community service, non-residential use or commercial activity its scale and operation should respect residential amenity, residential character and be compatible with the peaceful lifestyle of individual households.
So, whether assessing such child care proposals as a Council Planner, or a Planning (consultant) acting on behalf of a neighbour making a representation opposing the proposal, there is an onus to consider carefully the impact such non-residential development can have on neighbouring residents in residential zones, particularly with regard to:
- Noise mitigation from elevated outside play areas
- Car park location and screening for noise and head light glare
- Hours for rubbish collection and other service vehicles
- Overlooking and overshadowing
- Consider discouraging non-residential traffic through quiet residential streets.