🏚 Bright Days Herston — From Courtroom to Closure

• 2015–2016: Application lodged → refused by Council (oversupply, noise, character issues) → approved by the Planning & Environment Court with design tweaks and conditions.
• 2016–2023: Long approval/negotiation path; amended ICN levied in 2023 ($63,915).
• 2024: Centre built and opened as Bright Days Early Education.
• 2025: Service approval suspended (15 Aug–14 Nov) due to immediate child safety risks and repeated non-compliance with directions.

• Council: Argued oversupply, character, amenity impacts.
• Court: Emphasised zoning support for community uses, and strategic undersupply of childcare in inner Brisbane despite 6 existing centres.

• Then (2016): Need was argued using population projections, planning guidelines, and media clippings about waitlists. No formal demand model was prepared.
• Now (2025): A GapMaps-style Needs Assessment reveals oversupply in the 4-min residential catchment (0.81 ratio). On paper, the Court would have refused.
• But: Workplace demand (17,800 nearby workers, RBWH/QUT anchors) likely underpinned occupancy viability.

• Highlight streetscape integration (pitched roof, acoustic barriers) imposed via Court.

• In Aug 2025, the regulator suspended Bright Days’ approval after finding immediate risk to children and repeated failure to comply with directions and an emergency order.
• The provider (Bright Days Herston Pty Ltd) is barred from operating until Nov 2025. Future operator/lease prospects uncertain.

• Developers: DA approvals via Court can add years of delay and higher compliance costs.
• Operators: History matters — leasing a contentious site means reputational + regulatory risk.
• Investors: Inner-city childcare remains high-value, but management failures can flip a prime site into a distressed opportunity.
• Policy Lens: Courts weigh “need” flexibly. Today’s data tools reveal nuance (residential vs workplace demand) that wasn’t available in 2016.

• Refused → approved via Court → built → opened → suspended.
• Need was contested then and still is today — the difference is we now have sharper data.
• For CREW readers, it’s a reminder that successful childcare real estate is about more than approvals — it’s about sustainable operation and trustworthy governance.