Gum Nut Gully Preschool redevelopment proposal

As part of our commitment to providing quality early years services to local families, we’re seeking feedback on a proposal to rebuild an expanded Gum Nut Gully Preschool at a new location in Doncaster East.

The preschool building is reaching the end of its life and does not have enough space to provide the free expanded 3 and 4-year-old sessional kinder programs as part of the Victorian Best Start Best Life reforms.

A new two-room modular preschool cannot be rebuilt at the existing location due to a range of site complexities including the topography, environmental considerations and planning controls.

Background

This exciting proposal would see the preschool move from its current location, a Council-owned building at 58-60 Larnoo Drive to a new, modern home, 400m away at Corsican Reserve at 12 Corsican Avenue.

We’re partnering with the Victorian Government through its Building Blocks Grants Program on the project to replace the single room, 27-place preschool.

The proposed new expanded preschool would feature two classrooms allowing for 66 kindergarten places, an accessible playground and on-site staff car parking.

The existing preschool site in Larnoo Drive will be retained for community use.

Gum Nut Gully Preschool is an independent, not-for-profit organisation, managed by a committee of parents and carers. It is a sessional kinder program and does not offer long day care.

Where is it?

The new preschool is proposed to be located at Corsican Reserve, 12 Corsican Avenue, on the corner of Camira Close in Doncaster East.

The preschool is currently located at 58-60 Larnoo Drive, near the intersection of Guildford Drive.

Why is it needed?

We want to support local families by providing them access to more free kinder places locally as well as replace the ageing facility.

Funding from the Victorian Government will help us rebuild the preschool, upgrading it from one to two rooms with supporting amenities, and increasing places from 27 to 66.

However, site investigations by the Victorian School Building Authority have revealed it is not possible to construct the proposed new modular building at its existing location due to planning and environmental constraints.

Council have identified nearby Corsican Reserve as the best alternative location for the proposed new preschool. Rezoning would not be required for the project to proceed at this location.

Only a short walk to the Mullum Mullum Linear Reserve, the preschool will be able to continue its popular bush kinder program.

Share your feedback

To help us in our consideration of this proposal, we want to hear from you.

Your feedback is important to us.

Have your say by completing our survey before it closes on Tuesday 2 September at 11.59pm.

For more information

9840 9333

manningham@manningham.vic.gov.au