Merit Use Proposal (Childcare Centre) for Public Consultation

Adelaide Airport Limited (AAL) has received an application for the construction of a Childcare Centre. The subject site is known as part Lot 159, West Beach Road, West Beach and is located within the airport’s West Beach Precinct.

A preliminary assessment of the proposed use against the provisions of the West Beach Precinct contained in the 2019 Adelaide Airport Master Plan has determined the proposal to be a Merit Use. As such, this use is subject to public consultation.

Application Summary

Nature of Development

The proposal involves the development of a 123 place ‘Childcare Centre’.

Childcare Centre is not defined within the Adelaide Airport Master Plan 2019 and reference is made to the definitions contained in the South Australian Planning and Design Code, which defines this use as follows:

“Child care facility means a place primarily for the care or instruction of children of less than primary school age, children with special needs or out-of-school-hours care (including vacation care) and not resident on the site”. 

Nature of Operations

• The childcare centre will operate Monday-Friday between 6:30am and 6:30pm.
• All vehicle access will be taken from West Beach Road.
• On-site car parking is to be provided to accommodate demand.
• The proposal is integrated within a larger development, incorporating a shop in the form of a café, retail showrooms and service trade premises/stores. It is noted that these elements are Envisaged Uses in the 2019 Adelaide Airport Master Plan and therefore not subject to formal public consultation. The proposal is not required to be publicly notified as it is not identified as a major airport development as per Section 89 of the Airports Act 1996.

Application Documentation

• Childcare Centre Drawing Set

Supporting Investigations

Traffic

The applicant has supplied a traffic and parking report. The report outlines that the onsite parking provided for the childcare centre aligns with similar sized childcare centres and reflects the requirements of the Planning and Design Code for this use. Traffic movements to and from the childcare centre will be accommodated via a new, shared, access point on West Beach Road. Traffic modelling undertaken for the proposed new access point suggests minimal impacts on West Beach Road arising from the additional volumes from the childcare centre.

Acoustics

The applicant has provided an Environmental Noise Assessment which considers the noise generated by the activities at the proposed development against the noise criteria contained in both the Airports (Environmental Protection) Regulations 1997 (Cth) and Environment Protection (Commercial and Industrial Noise) Policy 2023 (SA), recognising that there are sensitive receivers (houses) within proximity of the site. The assessment has concluded that with a standard Colorbond (or equivalent) fence on the property boundary, the predicted noise levels are below all relevant criteria.

Assessment Process

The subject site is located within the West Beach Precinct of the Adelaide Airport Business District. A ‘Childcare Centre’ is neither listed as envisaged development or non-complying development within the Precinct. Therefore, the proposed use will need to be assessed by AAL as a merit use against the Master Plan.

The assessment process is described in section 7.7.1 and illustrated in Figure 7-10 of the Master Plan and indicates that the proposed development is subject to a 10-business day public notification process. Members of the public may make a written representation to AAL on the proposed use, which will be considered in its assessment. In addition to this public notification, Commonwealth aviation authorities, State Government agencies, City of West Torrens, City of Charles Sturt, the Adelaide Airport Consultative Committee and Planning Coordination Forum will be advised of the proposed development and given the opportunity to comment. The Community Aviation Groups Consultation Groups such as the Adelaide Airport Consultative Committee and Planning Coordination Forum enable airport operators, residents affected by airport operations, local authorities, airport users, and other interested parties to exchange information on issues relating to airport operations and their impacts.

Adelaide Airport Master Plan – West Beach Precinct Summary

The Objectives of the West Beach Precinct are as follows:

• An area accommodating commercial facilities, capitalising on the exposure to Tapleys Hill Road and West Beach Road
• Recreation activities in support of the adjoining sporting and recreation activities of the West Beach Trust (operating as West Beach Parks)
• Linkage of the Patawalonga Creek as a passive recreation area adjoining nearby pedestrian and bike pathway
• Stormwater drainage systems emanating external to the precinct to control flood risk to the airport land east of the Patawalonga Creek, with some allowance for overflow onto recreation land
• Stormwater-detention areas servicing the West Beach residential area

The Desired Character of the West Beach Precinct is as follows:

The West Beach Precinct is located to the west of Tapleys Hill Road and to the north and south of West Beach Road. The precinct extends to the west to Military Road. The eastern side of the West Beach Precinct has an arterial road frontage and therefore exposure to significant traffic volumes along Tapleys Hill Road. This section of the precinct can accommodate commercial development and service trade premises suitable to the arterial road frontage, with access for such uses mainly limited to the existing access points or from West Beach Road and Military Road.

The West Beach Precinct is an area for commercial development, while also being reserved for a future parallel runway. AAL will include resumption clauses in any lease agreement over land reserved for a future parallel runway. The promotion of event activities, passive and active recreation and sporting activities, and car parking within the precinct is desirable, incorporating suitable pedestrian and bike pathways. New development in the recreation area should, where practical, be clustered and be located to accommodate existing and future stormwater drainage arrangements.

 The West Beach Precinct Structure Plan (Figure 7-5) identifies the site within an area designated for commercial development.

Consultation

In the event that members of the public provide written comment about the proposed Merit Use, Adelaide Airport Ltd will:

• Give due regard to those comments;
• Advise the proponent of any variations that may arise from the comments received;
• Make a decision on the Use activity.

Please contact AAL on 08 8308 9211 if you require any further information or clarification in relation to this matter.

Any comments about this Merit Use are to be forwarded in writing, to the mailing address or email address below prior to 5.00pm (ACST) on Wednesday 5 June 2024.

DA026 Merit Use Submission

Adelaide Airport Limited
1 James Schofield Drive, Adelaide Airport 5950
Ph: 08 8308 9211
Email: [email protected]