Significant safety concerns have caused a childcare centre in Stockton to close after engineers warned accelerated erosion rates of the coastline have rendered the site no longer safe for occupation.
The Mission Australia Early Learning Centre will be permanently closed from today due to the rapid erosion of the Barrie Crescent Reserve.
Parents and staff were advised the centre is now permanently closed, after specialist advice of significant safety risk due to erosion.
Coastal engineers carried out testing which found over 9-thousand cubic metres of sand has washed from the coastline at accelerated rates.
Newcastle City Council says it will work with the childcare to allow safe removal of property before the building is demolished.
Council was advised the not-for-profit would vacate the site ten months before the lease agreement expires.
Newcastle Council CEO, Jeremy Bath, says Council will work with Mission Australia in the closure of the site.
"Both Mission Australia and the City’s independent coastal engineering advice highlight the significant safety risk from the continuing occupation of the building," he said.
“We’ll now take steps to ensure the safe removal of all existing equipment and personal contents before the structure is demolished and the site cleared".
Council says once the building is demolished, the former site on Barrie Crescent Reserve will be restored to a community recreational space.
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| Independent coastal engineering advice found a significant safety risk due to the accelerated erosion. Image: Mission Australia Early Learning Centre |
