A group of residents who called for Brisbane City Council to investigate a noisy childcare centre have been told "you can’t regulate children playing”.
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At Tuesday’s Lifestyle and Community Services committee, the council discussed a 39-signature petition calling for the noise coming from a childcare centre on Sandgate Road, Clayfield, to be investigated.
The background to the petition said the council had received a previous complaint about noise from the centre on July 26, 2017, and had assessed the noise twice over a nine-day period in August.
“The assessment and monitoring determined the noise did not meet the definition of an unlawful environmental nuisance,” the petition said.
“Further, the additional noise from children playing does not meet the provisions of an unlawful environmental nuisance under the Act.”
Committee chairman Peter Matic said officers investigated the noise to find out what options may be available to reduce noise.
“You can’t regulate children playing,” he said.
Cr Matic said the officers investigated the conditions surrounding noise as part of the development application for the centre.
“There wasn’t [any]. Given that, there is, unfortunately, nothing we can do to assist them in regards to this complaint,” he said.
The centre operates from 6.30am to 6.30pm from Monday to Friday.
Child-care centres in the neighbourhood centre zone are permitted to operate between 6am and 10pm.
The recommendation from the council to the petitioners was that the centre was operating lawfully and within the requirements of Brisbane City Plan 2014.
“In relation to the noise emanating from the playground, the head petitioner should be advised that council regulates certain types of noise nuisance under the provisions of the Queensland government’s Environmental Protection Act 1994,” the recommendation said.
“Noise from children’s voices and playing does not meet the provisions of the Act.
“If petitioners experience noise from any regulated devices, such as the leaf blower identified, they can report the matter to council for investigation.”
The committee voted in favour of the recommendation.
Fairfax Media contacted the child-care centre for comment but they did not respond.
