City welcomes over $8 million investment in early education

Penrith City Council has approved several development applications in the last month that will see an increase to the childcare sector in the city.

A host of private childcare operators have chosen Penrith as an attractive location to base their businesses. With the City’s growing youthful population, with more than 50% of households with children (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2011 and 2016. Compiled and presented by .id) it’s easy to see why.

St Marys is of particular interest to the childcare sector with three new developments approved last month that, when constructed, will provide a combined 307 childcare places.

Among the recently approved proposals is a $2.4 million development by the Montessori Academy, and another $2.4 million development by development consultants N.F Billyard in St Marys. Additionally, the HomeCo’s $4.6 million redevelopment of a former Masters site in St Marys has been approved which will include a childcare facility.

St Marys’ position as a key centre in Western Sydney will increase with the delivery of the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport. As a transport interchange connecting workers and travellers alike between the airport and greater Sydney, it makes a convenient location for workers to enrol their children in childcare to take advantage of the well-connected transport hub.

The importance of childcare to the early educational needs of residents, is something Council has acknowledged for some time.

Council itself operates 45 children’s services across the city, including long daycare, preschool, before and after school care, and vacation care. These are all rated to exceed the national standards.

Image: An artist’s impression of the approved Montessori Academy to be built in St Marys