433 new houses: “Premium” residential expansions set to revitalise Thagoona

A whopping 433 new houses in the works for Thagoona may be an enticing opportunity for home buyers currently being priced out popular Springfield and Ripley Valley. SEE THE PLANS

New plans for 433 new lots in Thagoona are set to revitalise the local area – in an enticing opportunity for first time home buyers.

On June 1 2022, Queensland Residential Estates Pty Ltd submitted a development application to extend an approved upcoming development at 993-1049 Karrabin Rosewood Road.

The extension includes plans for an additional 27 large residential lots, open space and recreation, a new access road, and flood mitigation for the approved development site.

If the extension is approved, the completed development will include 433 residential lots – more than half of which will be greater than 600m2.

Property manager Ian Worthington said the developers expect strong interest from first and second time home buyers who are currently being priced out of areas such as Springfield and Ripley Valley.

He said the newly-proposed 27 lots will be the “premium offering for the area” as much of the surrounding development will already be in place when they are built, and they will have a more exclusive location, elevation and minimum size of 1000m2.

The development site is in an Ipswich City Council urban growth corridor, zoned as a Special Opportunity Area – with intention for future urban development.

“This area is critical to helping alleviate the current housing affordability,” said Mr Worthington.

“The increase in new land prices is squeezing people out of areas that have been popular and buyers are reaching point where they don’t want to continually sacrifice the size of their house or land – which is where this corridor offers more choice.”

Situated between Walloon and Rosewood, the development area has proximity to multiple current and proposed town centres, schools, public transport, and both the Warrego and Cunningham Highways.

An ecological report prepared by 28 South Environmental said the proposed development “will greatly contribute to increased biodiversity, stormwater quality and ecosystems within the local area.”

The land is currently used as a grazing area for cattle, and the vegetation is largely comprised of pastoral grasses, weeds and some scattered trees.

The development application includes plans to revegetate sections of the land, and upgrade the waterway corridor – which the ecological report judged as in poor to fair condition currently.

“Along side [the revegetation plans] we will be building a local park and a footpath network that connects to Ipswich City Council’s planned District Recreation and Local Sports grounds, which is part of Ipswich City Council’s overall Green space plan for the area,” said Mr Worthington.

The waterway plans include the construction of an online detention basin against the upgraded Stirling Road embankment, which will reduce flood flows downstream of the development site.

Mr Worthington said the proposed basin would also help mitigate flood impacts on existing properties.

Th ecological report ultimately concluded that the development “will significantly enhance current ecological values onsite through the revegetation and rehabilitation of the waterway corridors and protection through future green space.”

A bushfire hazard assessment determined that the area is vulnerable to bushfires and subject to the SPP bushfire prone area overlay code; however, mitigation strategies were provided.

Mr Worthington said further applications still need to be put forward for significant trunk water and sewer infrastructure before the development with proceed.

He said they “expect to be in a position to have all approvals in place next year at which point (assuming the approval conditions are acceptable) we will then determine a starting date for the project.”