Brisbane Isuzu submits new proposal for Ipswich dealership at Bundamba Citiswich Business Park

A global truck firm’s proposed new dealership venture at Ipswich is expected to create more than 100 construction jobs and 45 permanent positions.

Nearly two years after a leading commercial vehicle business shared its vision to establish a dealership at Ipswich, construction is yet to begin and modified plans have been lodged with the local council.

Brisbane Isuzu announced in November 2020 that it had purchased a three-hectare site at Walker Corporation’s Bundamba Citiswich Business Park for between $6 and $7 million, where it planned to build a new home for its truck sales, service, and parts divisions.

“We have been looking for some time now for the right site to expand our existing south east Queensland operations to cater for our growing business needs,” Brisbane Isuzu Managing Director Alan Newcombe said at the time.

“You would be hard pressed to find a better positioned business park than Citiswich. The site is positioned with a 350-metre frontage alongside the Warrego Highway providing close access for trucks to the Warrego, Cunningham Highways and Ipswich Motorway.”

Ipswich City Council approved the organisation’s application to develop a sales and manufacturing premises with a truck depot at 24 Hawkins Cres, Bundamba on June 9, 2020.

Not two years on, a number of changes to the proposal have been submitted the council which, if approved, will see the development’s total floor area increased by 1635m2.

The original plans approved in June 2020 stated the ground floor area of the facility would be 5685m2, the floor area of the mezzanine would be 6208m2, and the site cover would total 5498m2.

“Fundamentally, the development remains the same which is to deliver an integrated heavy vehicle sales, storage/depot and service centre in the Citiswich Industrial Estate, with access from Hawkins Crescent,” the application read.

“The changes are focused on an extension of the showroom (vehicle display) building extending towards the (northwestern) boundary, replacing some of the open sales area with some minor adjustment to the service admin and parts section of the servicing shed.”

The proposed site plan feature an extra 'wing' and mezzanine area.

The extension would see an extra “wing” and a mezzanine added to the building and the servicing shed modified “to suit operational needs”, resulting in an additional 823m2 of site cover as well as additional floor area.

A total of 75 carparking spaces would be maintained on the site, which is surrounded by Hawkins Cres on one side and Warrego Hwy on the other.

The new plans, which were signed off by Brisbane Isuzu’s Alan Newcombe on May 9 this year, stated the proposed building extension will feature glass curtain walls on all sides, with sections of concrete panels and other complementary finishes.

“Generous awnings are continued around the building with mezzanine areas through the middle section for ancillary administration and storage,” the plans read.

In 2020, it was estimated more than 100 jobs would be created during construction of the dealership, along with about 45 permanent jobs when completed.

With locations at Archerfield, Burpengary, and Eagle Farm, Brisbane Isuzu’s newest facility is highly anticipated by plenty across the Ipswich region.

A Walker Corporation spokesman said Isuzu has all approvals in place to start on site later this year.

“We look forward to another great company opening and operating their business out of Citiswich Business Park, joining Costco, SAAB, Mylan, Reject Shop, and API,” he said.