Toowoomba developers warn council of 48,000-lot Ripley Valley threat to region’s future growth

Some of Toowoomba’s top developers believe the creation and state funding of a new masterplanned community east of the region threatens our future growth.

Toowoomba’s powerful development lobby wants the council to secure state funding for vital infrastructure investment in the city’s key growth areas to support future growth.

Urban Development Institute of Australia Toowoomba president Rob Weymouth says the Garden City risks being left behind by the fast-tracking of masterplanned communities across southeast Queensland.

This is headlined by Ripley Valley, a 48,000-lot priority development area outside Ipswich, which has enjoyed $40m in catalytic funding from the state government in recent years.

This includes a $6m loan to developer Stockland to expand Barrams Road, which is reportedly essential to unlocking 5600 new housing lots in the Providence Estate.

It comes as Toowoomba continues to struggle with rising housing prices and record-low vacancy rates, which businesses consider a threat to attracting skilled labour and new families to the region.

An artist impression of Ripley's future. Picture: Ipswich City Council

The advancement of priority areas like Ripley Valley and the 30,000-lot Caboolture West has raised concerns among local developers, one of which telling News Corp the projects could “annihilate” Toowoomba’s future growth.

Mr Weymouth said the funding of infrastructure was a major problem for the Toowoomba Regional Council, something the state government could play a role in supporting like they have in Ripley Valley.

“There is probably 13 years of land supply roughly, but the trouble is you’ve got fractured ownership, issues with infrastructure not put in and the time frames it takes to bring land to market,” he said.

“We just need to look at the western growth corridor and the urban footprint that should be developed from there.

“The trouble for council is the funding of infrastructure – places like Ripley have funding from the state government — if there’s more land available in Ripley, residents will go there.

“It is absolutely a competitive market and we should find smarter ways to fund infrastructure and more approval processes.”

Land developer Rob Weymouth. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Mr Weymouth again called on the council to tweak the region’s existing priority infrastructure area (PIA) to match the state government’s existing urban mapping.

“We need to work with council and the state government and future growth areas, because we’ll get to the point where there’s not enough land,” he said.

“The first thing is to change it to suit the urban footprint commissioned by the state government.

“The PIA should be expanded to suit the urban footprint — to allow that to happen, the funding of infrastructure needs to be secured.”

Fellow Toowoomba developer Ian Knox said Ripley Valley posed a real threat to the city’s growth if steps were not taken to create more lots.

“We need to expand our PIA, we have an enormous area that requires funding for future infrastructure,” he said.

“The council needs to start actively pursuing it like the (Ipswich) council has for Ripley.”

The Toowoomba Regional Council was contacted for comment.

Developer and philanthropist Clive Berghofer in his Clive Berghofer Group office in Wilsonton Shopping Centre, Thursday, May 4, 2023. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Berghofer rejects land-banking claims

Toowoomba’s most famous developer Clive Berghofer has defended himself against claims he is holding back the city’s future growth through land-banking.

Mr Berghofer, who is responsible for developing thousands of lots across the Garden City over more than 60 years and creating entire suburbs from scratch, remains the city’s foremost holder of developable land.

According to property records, his company Jeteld Pty Ltd still owns more than 500 hectares in key growth corridors of Toowoomba like Highfields, Woolmer, Glenvale, Darling Heights and Kearneys Spring.

While some of it is being methodically subdivided, critics argue it is not enough to meet the demand for housing.

Mr Berghofer’s only large parcel sale in the past four years was to the developers of Habitat Mount Kynoch in 2021, with the 88-year-old actually acquiring more land in the Darling Heights area since 2019.

Ian Knox.

Hallmark Property’s Ian Knox said the famed philanthropist’s stranglehold on land in key growth areas was a major issue for the city.

“We have plenty of land available, but when 80 per cent is owned by one person, it’s not available for development,” he said.

“Berghofer only develops 150 lots per annum — Clive in his heyday was developing 500 lots per year.

“He has been asked by many people would he sell and he’s refused.”

Mr Berghofer rejected the notion he had refused to sell, saying not enough developers had the capital to actually secure land deals.

“The problem is not many people can buy it, 99 per cent have got to borrow money and the banks say they won’t lend the money until they get development approval,” he said.

“I’ve built up my own bank account, if I want to buy something I don’t go to the bank.

“A piece of land on Woolmer Road, we’ve had five contracts on it and it hasn’t sold, because everyone falls through.”

Mr Berghofer also argued regulations around landclearing and a lack of existing infrastructure made developing land tougher.

“I’ve got 250 acres on Highfields Road, it’s covered with trees so I can’t do a thing with it,” he said.

“With lots of land there are no services to them so I’ve got to hang onto that land for a long time.”