Ipswich City Council has received more than 500 submissions on the draft Ipswich Plan 2024, as public consultation on the new planning scheme wraps up.
The draft Ipswich Plan 2024 will help the city plan for the city’s rapid population growth over the next 20 years.
Growth, Infrastructure and Waste Committee Chair Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said it was encouraging to see the community so engaged during the May-July public consultation period.
“Council has received more than 500 submissions via our Shape Your Ipswich website, email and post,” Mayor Harding said.
“At last count we had 39,820 Shape Your Ipswich page views, with 17,741 individual visitors to the Shape Your Ipswich page in the consultation period.
“Councillors and council officers also spoke to dozens of residents directly at pop-up sessions across the city about how the planning scheme might impact how they use their property or experience their suburb.
“Council’s current planning scheme is one of the oldest in Queensland and it’s great to see this early feedback reflects council’s commitment to modern community expectations and contemporary planning requirements.”
The City of Ipswich is Queensland’s fastest growing city. The current population of 248,000 people is expected to grow to 535,000 by 2046.
Growth, Infrastructure and Waste Committee Deputy Chairperson Paul Tully said early assessment of the submissions identified some common themes.
“The main thematic areas arising relate to flooding and the overlay mapping, a range of zoning changes, subdivision of rural areas and concern with overdevelopment in established areas,” Cr Tully said.
“Council will now consider all submissions and review the proposed planning scheme, before sending it to the State Government for review, approval and adoption.”
Ipswich residents can still have their say on where the city’s future trunk roads, parks and community facilities will be located under a draft new Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP).
This plan includes hundreds of future projects worth more than an estimated $3 billion in transport, parks and land for community facilities projects, planned until 2046.
The LGIP is open to submissions on Shape Your Ipswich until 25 July.
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