A premium childcare centre described by the developer as “like a day spa for kids” – with built-in sound and scent machines to reduce overstimulation – is planned for a suburb in Brisbane’s south-west.
Plais Early Learning would be built at 23 Thallon Street in Sherwood, according to the development application lodged with council this month.
The street is a no-through road, directly off the busy Sherwood Road. The train line runs directly behind the block, and a level crossing is a two-minute walk away.
The centre would have an on-site car park with 15 spaces. In the development application, an independent assessor hired by the applicant said it would have a negligible impact on the surrounding road network.
Sherwood Community Kindergarten is located on the same street.
The 1137-square-metre block had operated as an aged care respite centre, but was closed and had “for lease” signs on the fence on Monday morning.
Operator Onefin runs two Plais centres in Camp Hill, and has another set to open in Paddington.
“Anything that you can think of that would make a parent’s life easier is what we offer,” director Will Griffin said.
“We do grocery shopping, gift wrapping at Christmas, monthly date nights. We clean the prams. We do dentistry at school. We do immunisation.
“What we’re targeting is inner-city suburbs … areas where parents are busy; lawyers, doctors, shift workers, police officers, nurses, those types of things.”
The Sherwood centre would comprise activity rooms, outdoor play space, sleeping areas, a laundry and kitchen across two levels.
Construction costs are estimated at $6 million to $7 million.
The facility would have capacity for up to 73 children, with 13 full-time equivalent staff – three more than required by ratios. These would include a nurse, chef and concierge.
“It’s not a typical childcare centre that is bright colours,” Griffin said.
“It’s very measured and considered. It’s more like a day spa for kids. It’s very natural tones, natural materials.
“There’s integrated sound systems throughout, there’s integrated scent machines, to create an atmosphere which is conducive to kids being calm rather than being overstimulated.”
Opening hours would be 6am to 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Plans for the centre have been lodged with Brisbane City Council.
The childcare industry across Australia has faced a reckoning in the past two years, with allegations of abuse, excessive cost-cutting and systemic failures.
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