Queenstown Montessori owner Guy Hughes wants to add 20 places for children under 2 and expand the centre into the neighbouring Language Schools New Zealand site when the language school is relocated to the top floor of the O'Connell Shopping Centre.
"The idea is to expand Montessori after a community survey assessing the need for nursery age children," Mr Hughes said.
"There's a shortage of early-childhood education in Queenstown and we're confident we'll get the support with the globally recognised benefits of Montessori."
He described the Robins Rd site, set in 0.2ha of mature trees opposite Queenstown Primary School, as "a real inner city haven - a nature reserve I guess".
"We just need to know that [a] community need exists, that the community supports the establishment of a Montessori nursery," he said.
The centre had 20 children aged 3 to 5 on its roll and was recently granted consent for a further 18 children aged 2 to 5.
Since the facility was officially opened in January, the interior had been renovated to Ministry of Education specifications.
The exterior had been enlarged and parents had built a tree house, he said.
A sandpit and activity zone with a "cave" had been added, along with a wooden fence fitted with safety glass so children can view ducks and spawning trout in Horn Creek.
It also sported a "peace place", where preschoolers could sit quietly in the shade surrounded by plants and art works.
Mr Hughes said the school came about "because I had a 3-year-old kid and couldn't get her into play centres - so I said `Let's build a play centre'."
Montessori director Sue Wilson said the school had received about 20 submissions so far.
To obtain a copy of the centre's assessment questionnaire, email queenstownmontessori @gmail.com
