Blackstone State School: New development planned for abandoned Ipswich school

A school that shut its gates 12 years ago and has been heavily damaged and vandalised has an exciting future with a new development proposed for the site. CHECK OUT THE PLANS

Grand plans to transform an abandoned Ipswich state school which closed more than a decade ago into an emergency medical centre have been submitted to the local council for the tick of approval.

A development application has been lodged to Ipswich City Council by Medical Workforce Pty Ltd for the site of the old Blackstone State School.

The plans have been signed off by company director Dr Niraj Shekhawatia, who is the CEO and founder of the Hello Home Doctor Service.

Three heritage buildings remain on the site of the old Blackstone State School.

The applicant is seeking approval to establish an after hours medical centre on the Hill Street site and for works to done on heritage buildings built prior to 1946.

The application is for the first of a multi-stage development of a large parcel of land which already has approval for 30 residential lots.

Approval for the housing lots lapses in November 2022.

Original school buildings still on the site were built in 1886, 1889 and 1916 and are listed as ‘character places’ in the Ipswich Planning Scheme.

The original headmaster’s residence has been removed.

The school closed its gates for the final time in 2009 with the facilities now heavily vandalised; graffiti is tagged across buildings and windows have been smashed in.

Community groups who used the school after it closed were given notice to vacate in 2013.

Plans submitted for the multi-stage medical facility.

Building an after hours medical centre and re-purposing the three existing heritage buildings for use as an office, 24/7 call centre and treatment rooms forms stage one.

Stage two involves the development of a “standard medical centre with allied health”.

The development is called Blackstone Urgent Care Centre with the Ipswich Hospital about 5.5 kilometres west.

“The type, mix and intensity of future residential development will be determined following establishment of stages one and two and in response to market demand,” the application noted.

The old school has been heavily vandalised.

“Options include aged care accommodation, retirement village and standard residential lots.

“The proposed building works to the existing heritage buildings are minor in nature and generally necessary to refurbish the buildings.

“All other buildings on-site were constructed post 1946 and are not protected.”

The emergency clinic is proposed to operate from 8pm to 8am to respond to “a shortage of evening medical services” in the area.

“Currently there are no after-hours urgent care clinics in Ipswich,” the application noted.

The call centre would be staffed by up to 10 staff at a time.

The school closed in 2009.

Two consulting rooms and six treatment rooms are proposed to run seven days a week from 6pm to 8am, with a maximum of four doctors working at any one time.

The admin centre would be staffed by up to 12 workers.

“The grounds will be relandscaped and where possible established trees are retained,” the application noted.

“A total of 20 car parking spaces are to be provided.”

A pre-lodgement meeting was held with council officers in 2017.

The north of the former school is already approved for residential development.

A heritage impact assessment report is yet to be submitted to the council by the applicant.

“There is a need for an after hours (8pm to 8am) urgent care medical service within Ipswich,” the application noted.

“The proposal will provide Ipswich Hospital with an alternative facility for the treatment of category four and five trauma patients covering the local regions of Ripley, South Ripley, Springfield and (Ipswich Central).”

St Andrew’s Ipswich Private Hospital has treated more than 30,000 patients during the three years its ED has been running.

Read more stories by Lachlan McIvor here.

Originally published as Blackstone State School: New development planned for abandoned Ipswich school