Strathmore Children’s Centre

Have your say on the combined planning scheme amendment and planning permit application

Council is seeking feedback on its proposal to undertake stage two of the Strathmore Children’s Centre project, which will include a new dual kindergarten with a landscaped children’s play area and a family room.

What’s happened so far?

Council is committed to providing local families and children with high quality early years services that strengthen their ability to live, learn, discover and grow. Key to this is investing in the continued improvement of our early years facilities, and where appropriate, moving towards an integrated service model.

In 2011 Strathmore was identified as a prime location for an integrated facility. In December 2012 the new Strathmore Children’s Centre (stage one) was officiallyopened in Loeman Street, Strathmore. Currently around 160 local families access childcare and integrated kindergarten services at the centre, and around 600families access Maternal and Child Health Services.

Why go integrated?

An integrated early years services model is where a range of complementary services are made available within the one facility.

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development have found some of the positive outcomes of an integrated approach include improved family engagement, streamlined service delivery and improved assessment of children’s health and development.

As well as being more convenient for families, the integrated model also allows for increased collaboration between services, to better address and support the needs of children and their families.

What’s happening now?

Council is pleased to announce that we are now starting stage two of the Strathmore Children’s Centre project. This will expand the integrated services currently available at the centre; adding a new single storey, dual kindergarten with a landscaped children’s play area and a family room that can be used for new mothers’ groups and parent meetings.

Stage two is proposed to be built on vacant land owned by Council at 1-5 Term Street, Strathmore, at the rear of the Strathmore Children’s Centre building. The site is currently covered by a restrictive covenant,which states that only single residential dwellingscan be built on the land. Please see further on forinformation on restrictive covenants.

At the Ordinary Meeting held on 25 November 2014,Council decided to undertake a planning schemeamendment (Amendment C150) to vary the restrictivecovenant, combined with a planning permit applicationfor the proposed kindergarten.

Council is now seeking community feedback on itsproposal to vary the restrictive covenant, as well as theplanning permit application for the new kindergarten.

What exactly is Council applying for?

Council is seeking to vary (not remove) the restrictive covenant that currently applies to the parcel of land at the rear of Strathmore Children’s Centre, via a planning scheme amendment (Amendment C150). The proposed variation would `allow development for uses associated with a childcare centre consistent with the definitions in the Moonee Valley Planning Scheme’ which includes the proposed new kindergarten. The restrictive covenant will still apply to the land, and any future development that deviates from the kindergarten would need to meet the requirements of the covenant.

The proposed variation will only apply to the land on which Council intends to build stage two of Strathmore Children’s Centre - all other properties covered by the covenant will retain their existing restrictions. Please see over the page for the full list of restrictions.

Through the combined process, Council has also applied for a planning permit to allow us to develop and use the parcel of land for a new 66 place dual kindergarten with a landscaped children’s play area and family room.

The full amendment documents and planning permit application can be viewed online atmvcc.vic.gov.au/strathmorecc

Why combine these applications?

Rather than ask the community to give their feedback through two separate processes, Council decided to combine the amendment process with the planning permit application to allow residents to consider both items at the same time. Additionally, the proposed variation of the restrictive covenant will be tied to the proposal to develop the site for a kindergarten, so the covenant would not be varied if the planning permit is not granted and vice versa.

Why has Council endorsed draft conditions for the planning permit?

One of the requirements of the combined planning permit and amendment process is that Council provides draft permit conditions. These conditions are available to view and comment on during the consultation period.

What is a restrictive covenant?
A restrictive covenant is a private written agreement between landowners to restrict the use or development of land for the benefit of other land. Restrictive covenants are most commonly applied when a developer subdivides land for sale and wishes to apply some restrictions on the use and development of the lots to benefit or protect other land. A covenant that limits the use and development of a lot to a single house is a common type of restrictive covenant. Covenants that restrict the type of building materials that can be used for new buildings and fences are also common.

What does this particular covenant restrict?

The covenant was applied in November 1944 and restricts the following:

  • Quarrying operations except for the purpose of laying foundations of any building.
  • Roof or any of its exterior walls of iron or metal of any description of any material which shall be an imitation or substitute.
  • Construction of any shop factory warehouse or other premises for use or suitable for use for the purposes of manufacturing vending or exhibiting for sale of goods or merchandise of any description.
  • Not for any other purpose than that of a residence.
  • No trade or other sign shall be displayed or caused or allowed to be displayed.
  • No more than one dwelling house on any one lot.
  • Any dwelling including fences and outbuildings cost no more than four hundred pounds.
  • Shall be erected to have frontage to the road.
  • Setback a distance of at least 30 feet.

What’s a planning scheme amendment?

A planning scheme is a statutory device or an officialtool for the State Government and councils to use toensure consistency in the way land is used and developedacross Victoria. Each council area has its own specificplanning scheme.

A planning scheme amendment is when there is achange or update to the planning scheme. A formalamendment process is required every time Council wishesto make a change to its planning scheme. This is drivenby State Government legislation within the frameworkof the Planning and Environment Act 1987.

The bigger picture - Loeman Street Precinct Plan

The community precinct in Loeman Street is a significantdestination for locals. The precinct currently provides bothformal and informal leisure activities and communitysupport services for residents. These include tennisand lawn bowls facilities, a theatre group, kindergarten,Maternal and Child Health Services, childcare and acommunity park and playground.

Over recent years Council, in partnership with a stakeholderreference group, has developed a strategic plan forimproving the precinct to ensure it meets the needs ofthe community now and into the future. These plans werefinalised in 2013, following community consultation.

Plans for the precinct include:

  • two reconfigured eight rink bowling greens
  • two additional tennis courts
  • provision of additional open space
  • provision of additional car parking
  • provision of a new kindergarten (which is the proposed Strathmore Children’s Centre stage two)

You can view further details about the community precinct online at mvcc.vic.gov.au/loeman

How can I submit my feedback?

We are now seeking feedback on the combined planningscheme amendment and planning permit application.

Please address submissions to:

  • Strategic Planning Department, Moonee Valley CityCouncil, PO Box 126, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039

Submissions will close at 5pm on Friday, 13 March 2015.

Information session

We’re holding an information session to give residentsa better understanding of:

  • our proposed variation to the restrictive covenantand the planning scheme amendment process
  • our plans for stage two of the Strathmore Children’sCentre project and the planning permit application
  • how to have your say on the proposal

Date: Thursday, 26 February 2015

Time: 7pm

Venue: Strathmore Children’s Centre, 40 Loeman Street, Strathmore

Please RSVP to 9243 1604 by Thursday, 19 February.

What happensafter consultation?

Following this consultation period, any submissionsreceived will be referred to an independent panel forassessment. The purpose of the panel is to provide anindependent assessment of the amendment, planningpermit application and any submissions received. A panelreport will be provided to Council forconsideration.

After considering the panel report, Council will determinewhether it wishes to adopt the amendment and planningpermit. Council must take the recommendations of thepanel into consideration when making its decision. IfCouncil decides to adopt the amendment, the amendmentand planning permit application will then be taken to theMinister for Planning for a final decision. If the permit issuccessful, the Minister for Planning will then direct Council(as the responsible authority) to issue the planning permit.

Where can I get furtherinformation?

  • A full copy of the amendment documents andplanning permit application is available for viewingat the Moonee Valley Civic Centre, 9 Kellaway Avenue,Moonee Ponds and at Strathmore Children’s Centre,40 Loeman Street, Strathmore.
  • The amendment documents and planning permitapplication can be viewed on the Department ofTransport, Planning and Local Infrastructure websiteat dtpli.vic.gov.au/publicinspection and on Council’swebsite atmvcc.vic.gov.au/strathmorecc
  • Frequently asked questions and answers canbe found online at mvcc.vic.gov.au/strathmorecc