Panic as Kindergarten closes due to real estate development

A housing development to be built in Sydney’s Northern Beaches has caused what The Daily Telegraph has termed “panic” with an announcement that the Newport Kindergarten will close at short notice, impacting the more than 50 children and families currently enrolled. 

Parents were reportedly issued with one month’s notice that the Kindergarten would no longer be offering care, effective 25 December 2019, as the lease for the service had not been renewed, following the sale of the building earlier this year to The Stable Group, along with five neighbouring properties, for a combined total of $12.4m. 

A development application awaiting approval with the Northern Beaches Council outlines plans to knock down the package of six neighbouring properties, replacing them with 18 three bedroom properties and an associated 43 car parking spaces. 

The Exceeding rated long day care (LDC) service provides care for up to 40 children each day, and is owned by Amber Bernauer of childcare brokerage service Childcare Concepts, and David Williams, a former NRL footballer who is colloquially known as ‘The Wolfman’. 

Parents were informed on 20 November that the lease of the building, located in Queens Parade Newport, would not be renewed, with many working parents using the service expressing concern given that the Kindergarten is the only LDC in Newport. 

Those speaking with The Daily Telegraph outlined consistent challenges sourcing alternate care in the area, saying they have only been able to find limited options in neighbouring suburbs. 

To read the original coverage of this story, as produced by The Daily Telegraph please see here.