A draft position statement to guide the development of childcare premises to better meet the community's changing needs is now open for public comment.
Childcare is an essential community service, and with the rising demand in both metropolitan and regional areas it is important to ensure that the development of childcare premises occurs in appropriate locations.
The draft Position Statement: Child Care Premises would update the existing Planning Bulletin 72 (2009) and will provide guidance to key planning decision makers - including local governments and joint development assessment panels - when preparing local scheme provisions and planning policies for childcare centres.
The draft addresses a number of important planning considerations, including:
- location;
- site characteristics;
- environmental suitability;
- design;
- traffic and vehicle access;
- noise emissions;
- amenity; and
- health and safety impacts.
It also supports delivery of the State Government's Educare election commitment, by encouraging the co-location of childcare with schools. This allows for the development of childcare premises to be considered when planning new public primary schools, providing communities with certainty about the future of childcare services in their area.
The draft proposes that childcare premises could also be co-located on government reserves - such as hospitals - as well as within mixed commercial zones - such as shopping centres - or on office or commercial zoned land. This allows for flexible hours of operation, catering to the increasing number of families who have irregular or out-of-ordinary work hours.
To have your say, visit https://consultation.dplh.wa.gov.au/land-use-planning/child-care/.
Consultation closes at 5pm on Friday, 10 February 2023.
