New Ipswich planning scheme: Collingwood Park resident Tim Stieler raises concerns about housing development on Collingwood Drive

Ipswich residents are demanding more involvement in the development approval process, with the first new planning scheme in 13 years being developed.

Residents met with Ipswich councillors Marnie Doyle and Andrew Fechner about the approved development in Collingwood Park. Photo: Tim Stieler

RESIDENTS in one of Ipswich’s high growth areas are calling for more transparency and involvement in the development approval process with concerns raised about the increase in traffic and volume of bushland being cleared in their leafy suburb.

Extensive work is being done behind the scenes at Ipswich City Council to put together a new planning scheme for the fastest growing local government area in Queensland.

The last scheme was introduced 13 years ago and since then the city’s population has exploded.

Ipswich City Council has approved a new housing development on Collingwood Drive.

The Ipswich local government area is home to about 240,000 people, which is expected to more than to double to 557,000 by 2041.

Division 3 councillors Marnie Doyle and Andrew Fechner said they were just as “frustrated” as residents over the green light being given to some developments under the current laws.

Collingwood Park resident Tim Stieler is one member of a group of locals who are concerned about the development of a 323-lot housing estate which is bounded by Collingwood Drive, Goss Drive and Eagle Street.

The latest approval for the development was granted this year after plans were submitted in 2019.

He contacted the state government a couple of years ago when it was putting the land up for sale but it was only recently when a letter circulated about earthworks starting in a couple of months that he was aware what was going ahead.

“What I was waiting for was a typical sign that says here’s a development, here’s the opportunity to put in objections and that sort of thing,” he said.

“That never happened.”

The majority of the land over 27 hectares have been zoned for residential low density under the existing Ipswich Planning Scheme since at least 2004.

Approved plans for the housing development.

As a result, under the state planning legislation and the planning scheme, a public notification period was not required.

“(Collingwood Drive) is extremely busy already let alone throwing another 320-odd houses on top,” Mr Stieler said.

“What else is happening is what I call the ‘scorched earth’ policy. Every development we’ve got out this way, every single tree gets absolutely flattened to nothing, let alone allowing the blocks to be big enough to keep some of those trees.

“Even if they wanted to bulldoze them all the blocks aren’t big enough to allow any trees to regrow because people are allowed to build basically to the end of their property.

“There’s no chance for trees to ever come back. There’s no room so they park out on the street and the roads are already too narrow. You’ve got all these density issues in the middle of suburbia.

“None of these houses are near train stations or have allowances for buses to go through. There’s all these compounding issues.”

Roadworks will be undertaken by the developer over the course of ten stages.

Collingwood Park is considered one of nine principal growth areas in the State Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan.

Mr Stieler has lived in the suburb for 10 years and said other longtime residents are worried about the impact on wildlife, with the large Woodlinks housing estate already clearing a large amount of bushland.

“They’ve allowed such small block development which doesn’t fit the existing theme of Collingwood Park,” he said.

“The blocks are relatively large in current day standards. They’re only 600 m2 or a bit bigger. But it allows that foliage around the front and back yards to grow.

“The traffic is just phenomenal now. It’s become a thoroughfare for these new houses.”

Division 3 councillors Marnie Doyle and Andrew Fechner.

Cr Doyle said she understood the frustration but the council’s hands were tied.

If the council refuses a properly made development application that is consistent with the planning scheme the organisation is likely to be taken to court without any ground to stand on.

“We’re really disappointed as well when we’re learning about these historical approvals that are in place,” she said.

“We’re just as frustrated as residents are not being able to challenge them.

“Since being elected we have had to face many development approvals which have been granted in accordance with the current planning scheme, and this has been difficult for us to reconcile at times too.”

Cr Fechner said work is now being undertaken to develop a new planning scheme but a draft is only likely to go out for community consultation in 2023.

“That’s a large piece of work that needs to be undertaken,” he said.

“There’s many layers there. When you strip it back for constituents they always seem to understand in the end but there’s always this taste in their mouth that they wish they knew sooner.

“It’s been such a long time since the previous planning scheme. It’s difficult to say what this process actually looks like for us. It’s new to not only to the councillors but the organisation and there’s lots to consider.

The 323-lot housing estate will be built over 27 hectares. Photo: Tim Stieler

“We’re just having these initial discussions to plan for the work that needs to be done. Ipswich City Council along with consultants are working on a draft position so we need to have that conversation with the state government before we take that to community consultation.”

Mr Fechner said the Division 3 representatives were eager to take residents on the “journey” to putting together a new scheme that would benefit the city in the midst of huge growth.

“If people are wanting to be notified sooner or they want different triggers to be notified I think we need to listen to the community in that way,” he said.

“Connected corridors, biodiversity, overlays - these are all really important conversations we’re going to be having.

“The environment is a huge piece of the puzzle for us. Sustainable development, what does that look like? What do lot sizes look like? What can we actually control from a local government perspective.

“It’s a juggling act. The same as spending hundreds of millions of dollars every year there are concessions that will be made inevitably but we need to do what’s best for the entire city. What that looks like is the million dollar question.”

Cr Fechner said two of the city’s biggest growth hot spots won’t be included in the new scheme.

“Springfield is not a consideration that we make in our new planning scheme, nor is Ripley as a priority development area as gazetted by the state government,” he said.

The land have been zoned for residential low density under the existing Ipswich Planning Scheme since at least 2004. Photo: Tim Stieler

“Already those two key areas of our city aren’t really considerations that we will be making in the new planning scheme because they’re their own separate instruments.”

Mr Stieler said he was looking forward to changes being made.

“From my perspective (this estate) been approved so what can we do for next time to stop it and making the community aware that something is happening prior to it being too late?” he said.

“I want it to be a lesson learnt.

“How about we fix whatever your rules and regulations are to let the community be more informed for the next one.

“I’ve got no problems with development happening. Let’s do developments that are not going to cause problems down the track or do it in a way that allows the environment and development to occur simultaneously.

Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.