IPSWICH’S western suburbs are being prepared for a major population boom, with a new draft blueprint mapping out how housing, roads, transport, jobs and community infrastructure could develop as tens of thousands of new residents move into the area.
Ipswich City Council has released its Draft Western Growth Corridor Structure Plan for community consultation, covering the key growth communities of Rosewood, Walloon and Thagoona.
The corridor is one of Ipswich’s three major growth fronts, alongside Ripley Valley and Greater Springfield, and is forecast to grow from about 10,000 residents today to almost 59,000 by 2041.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the draft built on more than three decades of planning for the city’s western communities.
“To make sure this growth is managed in a well-planned and sustainable way, Council is developing a Western Growth Corridor Structure Plan,” Mayor Harding said.
“The plan is designed to spark ideas about how these communities can grow in a way that supports a strong, sustainable and liveable future for everyone.”
The draft proposes a mix of affordable and diverse housing alongside infrastructure priorities covering roads, stormwater, flood mitigation and community facilities.
Division 4 Councillor Jim Madden said the plan centred on four key areas – movement and connectivity, greenspaces and the natural environment, diverse living options, and centres, employment and community facilities.
Division 4 Councillor David Martin said the growth had already been earmarked through the State Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan, making infrastructure investment critical.
Ipswich West MP Wendy Bourne warned the proposed scale of residential development would place further pressure on roads, public transport and schools unless infrastructure investment kept pace.
“While it’s crucial that we build more homes, you can’t keep demanding more growth from the west while delaying the infrastructure we desperately need,” Ms Bourne said.
“We can’t just keep adding thousands of homes and hope the infrastructure catches up later.”
