Developer Peet asks Ipswich for $65k fee reduciton on new housing development

A controversial Ipswich housing development that almost changed suburb boundary lines may soon expand its footprint by more than 300 homes, plans reveal.

Picture: Eden's Crossing/Facebook page

One of Australia’s top residential developers has asked Ipswich City Council to slash infrastructure fees associated with its planning application to build 301 homes.

Peet limited plans to build the residential dwellings as part of the final stage of its multimillion-dollar estate and retail prescient at Redbank Plains, Eden’s Crossing.

Just last week eight Redbank Plains properties sold for a total of $3.9m, making it one of southeast Queensland’s hottest markets.

Peet submitted a multifaceted application to Ipswich City Council in late September, asking for approval to build the homes, an open park, and a new road, at 7004 Mount Juillerat Drive.

Eden's Crossing Redbank Plains. Picture: Peet

However as part of the application, Peet’s town planning advisers Saunders Havill Group Pty Ltd wrote a letter to council asking for a fee reduction, stating Ipswich charged more than neighbouring councils.

“This letter seeks a fee reduction specifically in relation to the RAL (reconfiguring a lot) fee component,” Saunders Havill Group principal town planning associate partner Anna Havill said.

“We understand the (council) RAL fee to be $214,950, based on 301 residential lots, which is considered to be high – particularly given that there is a variation approval in place.”

Ms Havill noted Brisbane City Council would charge $177,280, Moreton Bay Regional Council would charge $102,224, and Toowoomba Regional Council would charge $105,451.

“An average of all four fees identified above would amount to approx. $150,000 which we believe would be a fair representation of the assessment time likely to be required,” she said.

As Queensland’s fasted growing city, Ipswich’s property market has been highly desired -10 of the top 20 suburbs to invest in houses in Greater Brisbane were in Ipswich and two local suburbs made the national top 10 in 2022.

Picture: Google Maps

The Eden’s Crossing Estate was originally developed by Devine Limited, however the company sold it for $30.25m in 2016.

A year prior, Devine Limited made a failed and highly controversial submission to the Ipswich City Council to split Redbank Plains in two by moving up White Rock’s boundary line so that the estate would no longer be classified as Redbank Plains.

Built in one of Queensland’s fastest growing corridors, Eden’s Crossing entire estate will home about 1200 families across 150h of land.

According to RPS Group development plans submitted to the council, a majority of the new lots, 101, will be 375 sqm, 87 may be 450 sqm, 46 lots 335 sqm, 25 lots 312.5 sqm, 18 lots 350 sqm, 13 lots 400 sqm, and 11 lots 250 sqm.

An ecological assessment report noted long ago the site was cleared for cattle and largely consisted of open land overrun by invasive plants such as lantana and groundsel.

However Six Mile Creek, which runs along the site boundary, was said to contain a number of large eucalyptus trees.

“Historical clearing of the waterway and subsequent cattle disturbance has resulted in

environmental mapping and high ecological values being limited,” the report stated.

Homes at Eden's Crossing, Redbank Plains. Picture: Eden's Crossing/Facebook page

“The site is marginally mapped within a ‘high-risk’ area for protected plants within the northeastern boundary of the site in the Six Mile Creek waterway.

“This portion of the site will be rehabilitated [and] a protected plant clearing permit or

exempt notification confirmation for clearing … will need to be obtained.”

The same pocket of land was identified as “a small polygon of core Koala Habitat,” however no evidence of Koala’s were found.

“Should Koala opportunistically enter the site, the vegetation being retained in association with Six Mile Creek will provide potential refuge and connectivity to higher quality habitat within White Rock Conservation Area to the south.”

The development application is yet to be approved by the council.