The establishment of Childcare centres can take place in high rise buildings and in more traditional ground-level locations. Nonetheless, high rise childcare centres have specific considerations and requirements that will be dealt with in another article. This article details the steps to develop a ground-level childcare centre.

Setting up a new childcare business takes time and dealings with three levels of government; local, state and federal. In short, it is not a simple process. But one that can be navigated successfully if you seek advice from people such as the team at Child Care Sales Australia, which is familiar with child care property development. Moreover, a childcare centre industry specialist can also make your journey through the maze of documentation and development smoother and less time-consuming.

A Suitable Site

The first step lies in locating a suitable childcare development site. This is the key to a successful centre.

Several things will impact how suitable a site will be for childcare;

• Demographics are important. Are young couples and families in the area or is it an up and coming location for young families?

• The size of the block will dictate how many children your centre can accommodate based on approval.

• Level blocks are best. Heavily sloped land is difficult and costly to develop and is often difficult to obtain approval for

• The block orientation will determine if you can easily use the land, allowing for the appropriate orientation and layout of the car park, building and play spaces

• The ease of entry and egress points, traffic flow and safety of movement for young families will help determine approval of your proposal

• The zoning of the block will dictate if your Development Approval will be an Impact Assessable or Code Assessable process;

Impact assessable projects

The Impact assessable applications have the determination to acquire a degree of “impact” that requires a “merits-based” assessment to determine suitability. Development of impact assessable is not guaranteed and will require a detailed assessment by Council. These DAs warrant public notification. This involves advertising the application, so members of the community can make a submission. The community also has the right to appeal decisions about this type of DA. Impact assessable DAs are typically more time consuming and onerous for applicants. If community feedback is negative, an impact assessable DA can ultimately end up in court for judgement.

Code Assessable

DAs are more straightforward and can be assessed relatively quickly. A code assessable DA does not have to be advertised. This saves at least 30 days. Therefore, neighbours and the public can still make a submission to the Council. However, they have no formal rights of submission or appeal. Councils can only refuse a code assessable DA if it does not comply with the relevant codes and/or there are insurmountable engineering constraints.

Preparation is the key

Above all, a successful childcare centre needs a business plan to prosper. So, doing your legwork and research, or engaging the right people to do this will pay dividends long term.

Like any business proposition, a childcare centre investment has pitfalls for the unwary and great rewards for the prepared. Make the most of your new venture and take the best advice you can along the way to make success far more likely.

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