Another childcare centre has been proposed for the Ipswich region, this time in Raceview. 

Applicant Azza Investments is seeking a rezoning of the land at 28 Thornton Street  to Community Use (Childcare Centre). 

The applicant first lodged an application for the childcare centre in 2018, however Ipswich City Council knocked back a minor change in the original proposal in August 2021, leading the investment corporation to resubmit a fresh application. 

The property at Thornton Street contains an existing building, which was operated by the Endeavour Foundation Learning Centre. 

The Foundation sold the site to the applicant and the building is now untenanted. 

Azza Investments plan to renovate and expand the existing facility if they gain Council approval. 

“The renovation involves modifications to the internal layout of the existing building with an extension to the rear, new outdoor play spaces adjoining the existing building and further to the rear, a minor extension of the existing car park and additional landscaping,” the application noted. 

 “The centre has been designed to accommodate up to 113 children and 13 staff.” 

It is also proposed to develop 28 car parks. 

 The Thornton Street site has a total area of 4,066 sqm with the development set to take up just over 600 sqm. 

The application noted the building represents just 15 percent of the site area and has plans to build acoustic barriers to mitigate noise. 

 “The architects have consciously designed the centre to not only incorporate the existing building and carpark, but to respect the site’s context in a residential area and mitigate potential acoustic and stormwater impacts,” the application outlined. 

Under the proposal, the acoustic barriers around the periphery of the development, would be of varying heights. The barrier on the northern side of the outdoor play space has been designed with an attached roof covering to contain noise within the property.

The application also noted the centre is planned to operate from 6.30am to 6.30pm, with outdoor play limited to between the hours of 7 am and 6 pm. 

“These measures will assist the child care centre in complying with the necessary noise criteria and can be enforced with reasonable and relevant development conditions,” the applicant’s town planning report noted.