By Violet Li
A $960,000 childcare centre has been proposed in Cranbourne North’s established residential area, projected to accommodate 102 children and 18 staff.
Replacing the current detached weatherboard dwelling on 24 Huon Park Road, the proposed single-storey facility is said to “respond to the needs of the growing population of the area”.
It would operate from 6.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday. The peak hours are estimated to be around 8.30am to 9.30am and 3.30pm to 4.30pm.
The existing crossover located along Huon Park Road would be relocated to the northwest corner of the street frontage for a two-way internal access way through the middle of the driveway. Two street trees on the nature strip would be removed accordingly for the relocation.
New vegetation would be planted in the open spaces and around the car park.
The proposal has provision for 18 on-site parking spaces, including one disabled parking space, and is applying for a reduction of car-parking spaces against the statutory car parking requirements, the application states.
The development plan states that the kerbside along the site frontage could provide space for up to three vehicles, which would be sufficient to accommodate the shortfall in parking.
It believes that the on-street parking demand would be only likely to occur during peak hours and would be short-term lasting for 5 to 15 minutes, with minimal impact on the surrounding uses.
The proposal also outlines the projected peak-hour traffic volumes generated by the new facility, which would be 77 additional vehicle movements per hour during the morning peak and 69 during the afternoon peak.
The daily traffic volume would be around 337 vehicle movements.
It states that “the additional traffic generated by the childcare centre can be adequately accommodated within the surrounding road network”.
Huon Park Road, a local road, has a single two-way carriageway that is approximately 7 metres wide, with a default speed limit of 50kph.
A noise impact report concluded the development was predicted to comply with the noise criteria in the Planning Scheme and it recommended acoustic barriers around the property and management controls to reduce noise.
The nearest childcare centre next to the proposed one is on Huon Park Road within a four-minute walking distance.
Casey Council will not make a decision before 2 April.
