Sunkids Children’s Centres is planning a new state-of-the-art facility in the heart of CBDRobina, after securing a parcel of land in Robina Group’s thriving M1 Business Precinct for $2.326 million.

The 3,043sqm site at 295 Scottsdale Drive was secured through Kinder Educentres, which runs the Sunkids Children’s Centres brand and owns eight of the 15 Sunkids centres across South East Queensland.

The sale, the second in a matter of weeks, leaves just one parcel of land, measuring 3,151sqm, in the entire 56,849sqm M1 Business Precinct.

The $40 million precinct has grown from vacant land to a buzzing commercial arterial corridor over the past few years.

Kinder Educentres chief executive Abdul Omar said Robina’s popularity with families was key to their decision to open a Sunkids Children’s Centre in the region.

“We have a good presence on the Gold Coast, but for us Robina was a location that we had to be in,” said Mr Omar.

“Our closest centre is in Burleigh and it is performing very well, virtually at capacity, so it made sense for our next centre to be in the area.

“Robina is undergoing significant growth and development and we believe there is a lot of demand for a childcare service to cater to the large residential population and employment base.

“Scottsdale Drive is a busy arterial road with good exposure, so it was opportune that we managed to secure this site.”

The new Sunkids Children’s Centre is in the design phase and is expected to accommodate 120 places and include before and after school care.

Construction is anticipated to begin later this year, with its opening slated for the second quarter of 2015.

Mr Omar said Sunkids Children’s Centres was first established on the Gold Coast in 2005 and had grown to include centres in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

“The emphasis on curriculum and education has made it a popular choice for families,” he said.

“Our growth strategy is to build or buy two to three centres a year, in emerging or fast growing suburbs like Robina.

“As Robina has special planning status, we were also able to benefit from a fast tracked application process with Gold Coast City Council, so that was a positive for us in terms of being able to open as fast as possible.

“We are also in the process of building a centre in Sunnybank Hills in Brisbane.”

The sale comes on the back of a 5,201sqm site in the M1 Business Precinct being snapped up for an indoor trampoline centre called Bounce, adding to the diverse mix of businesses in the area.

M1 Business Precinct is already home to the M1X Energy Centre, CityPods stand-alone offices, Australian Industry Trade College, Condev Constructions, Pacifica Seafood and Queensland Police.

Robina Group general manager Hylton Slater said the final site was expected to be snapped up quickly.

“It represents the last chance to build in the M1 Business Precinct and given the momentum we’ve had in recent months, it is not expected to remain available for long,” he said.

“Businesses are attracted to the precinct because of the prime location at the geographic heart of Gold Coast City, the immediate access to the M1 and Varsity Lakes Train Station and the significant residential and commercial population surrounding it.

“Opportunities to secure a parcel of land of this size, in such a central location, are few and far between.”

For further information on the final parcel of land in the M1 Business Precinct, contact Marcus Weld at Robina Marketing Australia on 0414 726 207 or mweld@robina.com.au