Planning question- change of use child care facility

D

dosfromclare

Guest
Hi Neighbours currently have a converted garage used for kids play school (10 kids ages 3-5). They have applied for permission to change use of their house to full time day care and after school care from 7.30am to 7pm daily all year round. They will no longer live in the house. The house is in a cul de sac development of approx 30 houses. Plan to object but wonder if anyone has previous experience, advice prior to objection.
Thanks in advance.

title ammended by ajapale
 
Re: Planning question

Hi DOS,

I seem to remember that when one of Albert Reynold's daughers tried to open a childcare facility in one of Dublin's more upmarket areas that objectors were successful on traffic grounds.

Is there parking for dropping off and picking up children? Is there parking for staff and deliveries of food? Is there sufficient outdoor secure space for the children. Has increased noise been considered? Does the facility have adequate toilet and washing facilities for children and staff? Does the facility have adequate food preparation areas?

ajapale
 
try

... if you ring the dept of Justice equality and Law reform and ask them to send you a copy of 'We like this place' ... guidelines for establishing and setting up childcare facilities ... it might be a good start.

I'm sorry DOS but I don't fancy your chances ... there is a huge push on by the government to provide extra childcare places ... consider getting professional advice. Google town planning and it should throw up a few names.
 
doctor comparison

I know of cases where planning permission for change of use was refused where change of use was from private dwelling to a GP surgery where the house was within a housing development. Grounds for refusal related to inadequate provision for parking.

Every case is different, but try to pick out and emphasise the similarities.
 
Re: doctor comparison

There's a creche at the entrance to our estate. We're not close to it, but it seems fine, parents dropping off children tend to do it over about 1 1/2 hours in the morning and evening (7:30 to 9 and 5:00 to 6:30), so it's not like a school where everyone's arriving and leaving together. Is there parking at the front? In this case the owner paved over the front garden and this seems to give enough space.
 
check out the plans submitted

If a planning submission has been made, go look at it if you haven't already. It should deal with what measures they plan to take to make the change of use a good fit (e.g. ref note above about paving over lawns).

1) Be prepared to be satisfied with the plans.
2) Be prepared to offer "comment" on the application noting some concerns/suggestions you have but that you are ok in principle with the notion of a creche in the estate.
3) If they have made no attempt to address the parking / traffic issue, get stuck into them.
 
Hi Neighbours currently have a converted garage used for kids play school (10 kids ages 3-5). They have applied for permission to change use of their house to full time day care and after school care from 7.30am to 7pm daily all year round. They will no longer live in the house. The house is in a cul de sac development of approx 30 houses. Plan to object but wonder if anyone has previous experience, advice prior to objection.
Thanks in advance.


I presume you're not planning to have any children yourself, dosfromclare?

Otherwise, you might not be so quick to object!

Perhaps you should discuss your concerns with your neighbour, before objecting to the planning permission?

The other posts here make sense to me, that the traffic congestion for creches is much more contained than that for a school.

You could always put one of these signs outside your driveway... [broken link removed]
 
Many thanks for your comments and advice. Main reasons for objecting are that the house will be vacated on evenings and weekends, the traffic and associated parking will pose a risk to our children in terms of speed and unknown persons entering and the proposed commercial development does not fit with the current profile of this residential area.
 
the traffic and associated parking will pose a risk to our children in terms of speed and unknown persons

Re the speed, you (or the proposed Crèche owners) could always apply to the local council for a 30kph limit in the vicinity.
 
nobody next door

Main reasons for objecting are that the house will be vacated on evenings and weekends
Click to expand...

... but if you are out by day Mon-Fri, there will always be someone next door while you are out.

A blessing in disguise ?
 
Re: nobody next door

Main reasons for objecting are that the house will be vacated on evenings and weekends,

Why do you see this as a problem? It's better than if the house was rented out and you were dealing with people who played loud music morning, noon and night! Or better still if the house was sold on and the new owners were party people. You could ask the owners of the creche for a contact number in case of problems (like an alarm going off) over the weekend or overnight. It also means that there are people around the houseing estate during the day, which can be a good thing.

the traffic and associated parking will pose a risk to our children in terms of speed and unknown persons entering and the proposed commercial development does not fit with the current profile of this residential area.

As comercial developments go, this is the most family friendly possible. If there is sufficient parking the traffic shouldn't be a problem, after all these are people dropping off and collecting children. Most older residential areas are not purely residential (local shops, pubs, schools etc.) and on the whole are better because of the mix of use.
 
Re: nobody next door

Great selling feautre for the hosues...adjacent creche!! Prices will go through the roof :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top