The State Government has assured local councils their town planning development approval powers will be unchanged as a result of today's announcement of the formation of an Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) in Queensland.
The ULDA will coordinate development in the Ripley Valley in Ipswich, Greater Flagstone and Yarrabilba, southwest of Brisbane.
Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe assured Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale and Ipswich Planning and Development Chairperson Cr Paul Tully that Council's development assessment powers would continue as normal for the Ripley Valley.
Cr Tully said this assurance provided a strong framework for future development of the Ripley Valley with key infrastructure and planning issues being the key to a joint approach by the State Government and the Council.
"The Ipswich City Council will continue to play its traditional role of assessing development applications for the Ripley Valley as well as the rest of the city.
"This model has worked well in the Springfield master-planned community for the past 15 years.
"The State Government should be congratulated for its foresight in ensuring the Ripley Valley, Greater Flagstone and Yarrabilba will become a reality involving working partnerships with local government."
Cr Tully said the rapid development in southeast Queensland required cooperative arrangements between all levels of government.
"Anna Bligh and Stirling Hinchliffe have got this 100 percent right, despite reservations expressed by the Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek."
