More than 100 childcare places will open in Howrah this month, in a suburb where families struggle to find a sport at existing centres.
Developer Tipalea Partners has finished a $9 million early learning centre on Commerce Drive, next to the Glebe Hill Village shopping centre.
It has room for 106 children, from six weeks to six years old. National operator Green Leaves Early Learning will run it and takes its first enrolments later this month.
Tipalea says Howrah has about 1,200 children under five and 356 licensed places across five centres, all of them full.
Treasurer Eric Abetz, Clarence mayor Brendan Blomeley and Tipalea chief executive Scott Spanton cut the ribbon on Wednesday.
“This new childcare centre is another expression of confidence by the private sector in our Tasmanian economy, while providing a much-needed service to our growing and dynamic Clarence municipal area,” Abetz said.
“With the Glebe Hill and Clarence Plains areas experiencing phenomenal growth over the past few years and with demand for childcare services far outstripping supply, it’s fantastic to see such a quality childcare centre open in our city,” Blomeley said.
Tipalea built Glebe Hill Village next door, opening it in 2022. It sold the centre for $50.25 million in December 2024.
Tasmanian firm Bennett Construction built the childcare centre over 10 months.
Up to 30 workers were on site each day at the peak, with about 200 across the job.
Bennett Construction director Jeremy Warren said landscaping took up a third of the construction program against about six weeks on a standard childcare build.
Adelaide firm Brown Falconer designed the centre.
Inside are seven classrooms and a parent lounge. Outside, a bike track, a market garden that feeds the kitchen and an interactive sculpture.
It is Tipalea’s first childcare project in Tasmania and its seventh development in the state.
