Ipswich City Council has advised principal construction contractor Allroads that it intends to reclaim ownership of the delivery of the Redbank Plains Road Stage 3 construction project.
The decision follows ongoing discussions between council and Allroads on the status of project delivery, after Allroads paused works several weeks ago.
Ipswich City Council Chief Executive Officer Sonia Cooper said Stage 3, delivering a major upgrade between Keidges Road and Kruger Parade, was a critical project for council to deliver.
“Council has moved quickly to address emerging issues with the delivery of Redbank Plains Road Stage 3,” Ms Cooper said.
“After engaging with contractor Allroads, council has made the decision to take back ownership of this critical road upgrade.
“On Wednesday 21 February council issued a Show Cause notice asking Allroads to demonstrate why council should not take action under the contract.
“Reasons for council to take this step included a failure to deliver against the project’s contractual provisions.
“The seven-day Show Cause notice expired on Thursday 29 February. Council did not receive a response from Allroads and has now progressed with taking over the work under the contract.
“Redbank Plains Road is a significant road upgrade in some of our busiest suburbs, and council is fully committed to delivering this upgrade for our community.
“It is imperative these major infrastructure projects are delivered on-time and on-budget.
“Council is now moving towards recommencing construction as a matter of urgency and will continue to update the community on the project’s progress in coming weeks.”
Construction on Stage 3 began in August 2022. Council’s 2023-2024 Budget allocated $11.7 million to Stage 3 of the project, which is scheduled to be completed in late 2024.
Further details on the project can be found on council’s website.
Ipswich City Council is operating under caretaker provisions in accordance with Chapter 3, Part 5 of the Local Government Act 2009. Media communications by the Mayor and Councillors as ICC spokespeople during this time are limited to ensure compliance with legislation and, equity and transparency between existing Mayor, Councillors and candidates regarding access to Council resources.
