Planning for Ipswich's Housing Needs
Ipswich is one of Queensland’s fastest growing local government areas currently home to 260,000 people and expected to more than double to a population of approximately 534,000 by 2046. Ipswich is experiencing a housing affordability, availability and diversity challenge combined with anticipated further sustained high growth rates. Approximately 50 homes are needed per week. The need is to be building greater than 90 homes a week to meet ShapingSEQ2023 dwelling targets at 2026.
Local Housing Action Plan (LHAP)
At its meeting of 12 December 2024, Ipswich City Council adopted the City of Ipswich Local Housing Action Plan (LHAP), which aims to meet the needs of everyone at each stage of life by providing housing diversity, choice and affordability in the right locations close to jobs, transport, centres, services, and the places that make an area a community.
City of Ipswich Local Housing Action Plan (LHAP)
The LHAP:
- Identifies factors impacting on housing in the Ipswich local government area and current and future housing needs.
- Identifies priority actions in response to immediate, emerging and longer-term housing challenges and needs.
- Assists to coordinate responses by council, state government, private and not-for-profit organisations.
- Supports housing for changing lifespan: housing that meets Ipswich's current and future household sizes and types.
- Supports affordable housing: housing to meet the requirements of different socio-economic circumstances.
- Supports accessible housing: housing that can be adapted across a household's change in life stages and personal circumstances.
- Promotes planning for housing in well serviced areas: considering the social infrastructure network available against the housing needs required in local areas, and the opportunity to maximise housing in proximity to well serviced areas.
Draft Ipswich Plan 2024
Council is preparing a new planning scheme, Ipswich Plan 2024, to help us plan for our growing city. Once the planning scheme is adopted by council, it will replace the current 2006 Ipswich Planning Scheme. Public consultation of the draft new planning scheme concluded on 16 July 2023 and the draft plan is with the State Government for approval. Visit the new planning scheme website to learn more about the draft new planning scheme and register for project updates.