Social and Community Infrastructure Assessment - Growth Areas ...

Wollert/Quarry Hills Social and Community Infrastructure Assessment
Appendix F1 – Qualitative Assessment of Infrastructure Needs, Quarry Hills: Local Facilities
Services/Facilities Demand Assessment Recommendations
4yo preschool
3yo kindergarten
Maternal and child health
Occasional care
Playgroup
29 places
0.9 licensed rooms
17 places
0.5 licensed rooms
7 sessions
0.7 consulting rooms
11 places
0.3 licensed rooms
6 sessions (2 hours)
The closest facility to Quarry Hills offering family and children’s services will be the community activity centre in Epping
North Precinct 5. This facility was originally intended to serve the community of 7,000 people that will develop in Precinct
5. The site for the centre is 0.7ha. The Epping North East Local Structure Plan indicates that the centre will consist of a
two room preschool, two room maternal and child health centre, meeting rooms, office space for visiting services, small
multipurpose room and neighbourhood house. Council’s Indicative Works Budget (2012-2022) (CWIB) provides for the
facility to be constructed in 2016-2018 at an estimated cost of $3,850,000.
Council’s ideal facility model for early years services is community activity centres with 3 or 4 licensed preschool rooms
(33 places), at least 2 consulting rooms for M&CH, consulting rooms for visiting services and activity rooms for
community groups.
Its minimum facility model is 2 licensed preschools rooms, 2 consulting rooms for M&CH and visiting services and
activities spaces (note: the facility proposed for Epping North Precinct 5 fits this model). This model is applicable in
areas where the population size cannot justify the provision of the ideal facility or where the facility’s catchment size is
limited by significant barriers, such as major roads, train lines, creeks and unfavourable topography. The preferred
setting for the minimum facility is in a community hub or located in a school.
Quarry Hills with 6000 people cannot justify the provision of the ideal facility model. Quarry Hills combined with EN
Precinct 5 (total of 13,000 people), can justify the ideal model. Three options can be considered:
1. Developing the ideal facility in EN Precinct 5 to serve both the Precinct and Quarry Hills
2. Developing the ideal facility in Quarry Hills to serve Quarry Hills and EN Precinct 5
3. Developing a minimum facility in both EN Precinct 5 and Quarry Hills
The considerations/advantages of Options 1 and 2 are that:
The early years facilities are consolidated at the one site and duplication is avoided.
The facilities are located near the primary school
The freeway separating Precinct 5 for Quarry Hills would be a significant barrier to movement in both directions and
access would be compromised.
Option 1 may be more practical in terms of the timing of delivery – i.e. the Precinct 5 community is developing now
whereas the development of Quarry Hills may be some years away.
The advantages of Option 3 are that the facilities would be highly accessible to the local communities. This sit e
recommended option.
Long day child care 79 places or 0.9 of a centre Council is not involved in the provision of childcare facilities. It is anticipated that a private or community sector provider
will meet this demand.
Community meeting space
Community garden 0.6 garden
Government primary
schools
200sqms of meeting spaces A space will be needed for local community activities. This space could be provided as a community room attached to
the early year centre. If this setting is not available, the community room could be provided as a stand-alone facility.
600m 2
The garden should be located with the proposed community room/early years centre. In addition to early years facilities,
the CAC could have a sustainability and cultural focus. The garden would support this focus.
0.7 schools Quarry Hills will create demand for 0.7 schools. The closest government primary schools are the proposed school in EN
Precinct 5 and the Meadowglen Primary School in Epping. The Precinct 5 school will be separated from Quarry Hills in
the long term by the Ring Road. Meadowglen PS could be accessed by using the walking path in Quarry Hills Park or
the proposed Darebin Creek Trail.
DEECD was not able to confirm whether it would provide a school in the Quarry Hills area.
Catholic primary school 0.4 schools. 3 catholic primary schools are planned for Epping North – in Precincts 2, 3 and 5. The school in EN Precinct 5 and
existing schools in Epping would cater for Quarry Hills.
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Develop an integrated children’s services
centre which comprises 2 licensed preschool
rooms, 2 consulting rooms for M&CH and
visiting services and activities spaces for
early years groups.
The preferred setting is adjacent to the
passive reserve in Quarry Hills.
If a primary school is provided in Quarry Hills,
the centre could be located within the
grounds of the school.
.
Meet demand through private/community
sector
Integrate the community room with the early
years centre
Locate the garden with the community
room/early years centre
Seek confirmation from DEECD as to
whether it will provide a school in Quarry
Hills.
Meet demand from Quarry Hills through the
proposed catholic primary school in Epping
North Precinct 5 and existing schools in
Epping.