Ipswich Strategy - Planning Context
The development of the Strategy has been underpinned by the visions and outcomes of the South East Queensland Regional Plan, Ipswich 2020 and Beyond and River Heart projects. In these projects, community members, business and governments worked together to develop their view of what Ipswich should be. The strategy has strived to continue to build on these visions, culminating in a range of action plans and business cases for implementation.
Regional planning context -
South East Queensland Regional Plan
The South East Queensland Regional Plan identifies Ipswich City as a major new urban growth corridor, taking advantage of land suitable for residential, business and industry development. It is intended that this corridor will relieve environmental pressures on coastal parts of the region. Considerable growth is anticipated to occur in the region with the forecast population to be around 318,000 people by 2026.
Identified challenges in the Western Corridor include the timely delivery of infrastructure to lead planned growth and sustain the creation of new job opportunities. The plan also identifies key needs for the area as:
- providing a range of housing choice and employment opportunities
- promoting sustainable development practices that protect the environmental values and scenic amenity of the area
- a need and opportunity to revitalise the Ipswich City Centre and take advantage of its unique cultural and built heritage.
Local Planning Context -
Ipswich 2020 and Beyond and River Heart
The key focus of local planning policy is to emphasise the role of Ipswich as the key regional centre for the western part of the South East Queensland region. Numerous strategies are in place to move toward realising a vision of this. Key directions of the Ipswich planning policy include:
- creating a city "living room" in the CBD, by developing it as a focal point of recreation, entertainment and leisure activities
- creating a city wide housing strategy that allows for a diversity of accommodation, including a diversity of accommodation in the central areas of the city
- providing a transport strategy that is integrated and efficient
- fostering development of cultural and human services
- developing the city as a major employment centre for the Western sub region of South East Queensland
- Creating urban spaces that are valued and conserved by the local community.
One dimension of city redevelopment is focussing on the 'river heart', which is using the river as a focal point for the city. The river heart parkland is one such attempt to revitalise the cities link with the river. The master plan for this strategy includes the development of new city commercial spaces, which integrate and relate with the river.
For more information on the Ipswich 2020 and Beyond and River Heart projects please go to the Ipswich City Council website - www.ipswich.qld.gov.au
