The Precinct Plan was approved in March 2024. ​

​The Council began assessing the development applications for Springview Estate Village 2 and 3 in 2020. The approvals are based on the Springfield Structure Plan and Development Control Plan (DCP), which have been in place for nearly 30 years. These long-standing plans already provide a basis for the residential footprint approval.​

​As a result, the development application for Springview Estate Village 2 and 3, Precinct Plan and Area Development Plans are not required to be referred to the full council or a committee for review and accordingly is determined by council officers. However, the Mayor and Councillors are kept informed and receive briefings on all development applications and their progress through the assessment stages.​

​The proposal has followed, and continues to follow, the normal local, State and Federal planning and environmental approval processes.​

It is privately owned land by a third party and is not public reserve, remnant or state forest.​

The site has been zoned for residential development for close to 30 years.  ​​

In 1997, it was zoned residential under Ipswich City Council’s Springfield Structure Plan and Springfield Development Control Plan.​

Since 2017, the site has been recognised by the State Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan (SEQRP), ShapingSEQ2017 and ShapingSEQ2023, to further support the region’s growing housing needs. ​

This piece of land has been zoned for residential development for close to 30 years and will support the growing region’s housing needs, as recognised by the State Government’s South East Queensland Regional Plan (SEQRP), ShapingSEQ2017 and ShapingSEQ2023.  ​

​The Greater Springfield masterplanned community was initiated by the government in the 1990s to support South East Queensland's growing population. Currently, there is an urgent need for housing in the region. As a result, the Springview estate is moving through the necessary approval processes, with further approvals anticipated in 2024.​

​Greater Springfield has been developed progressively since the 1990s, with established suburbs including Springfield Lakes, Springfield Rise, Brookwater and Brentwood Forest. ​

No other location in Queensland offers the same combination of tenure, zoning, infrastructure, and amenities. Underdevelopment at this location during the current housing supply issues will result in the opening up of further greenfield development needing to be supported by costly and timely infrastructure. This outcome will also locate people further away from education, health, amenity and public transport infrastructure requiring larger connection roads and services with larger impacts on the environment.

The proposed infrastructure includes sewer, water and transport, representing a multi-million dollar investment that will further support the growing community needs now and in the future.  ​

​Our proposed development will help to unlock the land use for this area and provide a critical connection between other established residential zones.  ​

​A small local centre site has been designated within Springview to meet the requirements of the Springfield Structure Plan (SSP). This site aims to cater to local community needs by offering convenient facilities and services. There are proposed plans to include recreation and sports parks, as well as childcare facilities.​

Stockland’s proposal for Springview Village 2 and 3 will retain native wildlife corridors and koala habitat trees, with the total amount of open space proposed aligning with the requirements of the Federal Government and Ipswich City Council environmental and planning controls. ​

​The approved Precinct Plan includes a wildlife corridor along Woogaroo and Opossum Creeks which is three times wider than the minimum requirement by the Ipswich City Council environment and planning controls. This is a defined conservation zone. ​

Stockland has commissioned extensive professional surveys, mapping, reporting with designs updated to increase designated conservation zones. 

The Saunders Havill Group – who have over 20 years of experience in South-East Queensland – was engaged to provide environmental advice for the project. These reports are publicly available on the Ipswich City Council website and via this link to their most recent Ecological Assessment Report.  

This report includes comprehensive details such as field survey outcomes, environmental site constraints, and an environment assessment of the proposed development. 

Environmental retention areas have been located according to the open space designations in the Springfield Structure Plan, aligning with local planning intent. 

As outlined in the Ecological Assessment Report, clearing will be done sequentially to allow fauna to move safely out of cleared areas, along with measures to minimise dust pollution and other impacts. 

While extensive surveys over multiple years did not directly observe koalas utilising vegetation on-site, wildlife movement measures such as speed reduction, signage, and crossing areas will be implemented to support local fauna. 

The Ecological Assessment Report includes more comprehensive details, such as field survey outcomes, environmental site constraints, and an assessment of the potential impacts of the proposed development on ecological features. 

While independent surveys of the site found some evidence of koalas via their droppings (otherwise known as scat), it was not enough to suggest a large colony. ​

The Queensland State Government’s Wildnet Database supports these findings, showing no formal records of a significant koala population in the area. ​

Further investigations by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) also concluded that the site does not support large resident populations of koalas or other native wildlife.​

The Ecological Assessment Report provides the scientific methods used to identify populations of koalas and other native wildlife. ​The Springview Village 2 and 3 proposal is currently being assessed by the Commonwealth Government under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC). This is the highest level of ecological assessment of development that exists in Australia. ​The EPBC referral involves a rigorous, science-based technical assessment, including flora and fauna management plans, conducted prior to any development commencing.  ​

Any future development by Stockland will comply with these approvals and we are collaborating with all levels of government throughout the EPBC assessment and other planning approval processes.​