Each local government prepares and maintains its own planning scheme as the main ‘rule-book’ for determining what new developments should occur in their local government area and how.

The planning scheme sets a future vision for the city and can directly influence the way our city grows and changes, while also helping to protect the things that matter most.

The planning scheme achieves this by planning for and regulating what development should occur where and when, how development should occur and what assessment process is required.

Essentially, the planning scheme is the legal set of documents and maps that guides the way land, buildings and structures are used and developed in the Ipswich local government area and forms council’s legal framework for assessing development applications.

Planning schemes help shape our neighbourhoods, towns and cities. The draft new planning scheme for Ipswich, Ipswich Plan 2024 (draft) sets out the future vision for our council area over the next 20 years in line with the themes below. The draft new planning scheme aims to identify areas to protect, areas to build on, places to set up businesses, shops and services, types of housing for people to live in and transport options to move around the city.

You can view Council’s current planning scheme, the 2006 Ipswich Planning Scheme here.

Council is preparing a new planning scheme, Ipswich Plan 2024, to help us plan for our growing city.

No city stays the same.

Cities grow and change to respond to changing people, and opportunities, and respond to challenges.

Our City of Ipswich is a key regional growth area in South-East Queensland that is growing and changing at a fast pace. The current population of our local government area is approximately 247,000 people and is expected to grow to 535,000 by 2046.

We need a planning scheme to meet the challenges for the future, while protecting and maintaining the things our community love about life in Ipswich.

The draft planning scheme identifies where future growth and development should occur.

Planning aims to manage how our city grows and changes in a way that benefits people, the environment and the economy.

The planning scheme can influence what you, your neighbours, or others can and can’t do or build on a property.

This includes things like:

• what you, your neighbours or others can and can't do or build on a property
• the types of developments around you
• management of natural hazards including flood and bushfire
• building heights
• boundary setbacks
• density and zoning
• carparking requirements
• protection of certain types of land and building

A planning scheme does not change the current existing lawful use of a property, however, it can affect changes that you might want to make in the future.

It is important to understand what planning controls affect you and where you live, your local area and your neighbourhood.

You can undertake a "Property Report" to determine the proposed zoning of your property and any overlays.

Overlays are areas identifying set aspects in the planning scheme, such as land which may be impacted by bushfires, known as a bushfire hazard layer.

You can look at the Table of Assessment relevant to your zone, applicable Zone Code and any Overlay Code relevant to your property to gain an understanding of the intended land uses and built form of the zone, the constraints that apply and when a development application is required.

Search for a property in the draft Ipswich Plan 2024 and then select "Download Property Report (PDF)" in the menu on the left.

Any interested member of the community (such as a person, group or organisation) can provide a written comment about the draft planning scheme during the public consultation period.

The public consultation was held between 15 May and 19 July 2023.

All submissions must:

• be lodged by the last day of the public consultation period which closes on Sunday 16 July 2023; and
• state the name and residential or business address of all submission-makers; and
• state the ‘grounds’ for the submission, and the facts and circumstances relied on to support the grounds; and
• state one (1) postal or electronic address for service relating to the submission for all submission-makers.
• All written submissions must:
• Be signed by each person (the submissionmaker/s) who made the submission; and
• be made to the Chief Executive Officer, Ipswich City Council; and
• be received on or before the last day of the public consultation period which closes on Sunday 16 July 2023; and
• state the name and residential or business address of all submission-makers; and
• state the grounds for the submission, and the facts and circumstances relied on to support the grounds.

A Feasible Alternatives Assessment Report (FARR) relates to the properties mapped within the draft planning scheme's Flood Risk and Overland Flow Overlay and the Bushfire Risk Areas Overlay.

This report outlines managing the potential impacts from natural hazards in our city.

In 2019, Council undertook early engagement on a Statement of Proposals (including a draft Strategic Framework) to gain the communities views and aspirations to inform the drafting of the new planning scheme.

Formal public consultation on the draft new planning scheme was undertaken following completion of the State Interest Review between 15 May to 16 July 2023.

To find out more about the consultation, click here.

Preparing a planning scheme is a lengthy process involving multiple steps and follows a process set out by state legislation.

The plan making process is anticipated to take four to five years to complete noting that the timing of certain steps in the process, such as state interest reviews, are not within council’s control.

The Ipswich Plan 2024 is intended to be in place in early 2024 following state government and Council approval.

For more information on the plan making process head to the State Governments Plan making Dashboard.

Formal consultation on the draft new planning scheme occurred from 15 May to 16 July 2023.

Council will review and consider each submission received from the community and prepare a report and revised planning scheme.

This will be sent to the state government for its final review with a request to approve the Ipswich Plan 2024 as the new planning scheme for the City of Ipswich.

Ipswich is growing, and doing so quickly. Our population is forecast to grow from approximately 247,000 residents in 2023 to over 535,000 residents in 2046.

The state government, through the South East Queensland regional plan (ShapingSEQ), sets the region-wide policy framework for managing our forecast population growth.

Council has a clear vision for growing sustainably, reflected in our corporate plan, and current planning scheme.

The new planning scheme will build on this existing policy framework, and will set the vision for the future of Ipswich, and guide growth and development to help achieve that vision.

This includes identifying where development can occur, and where it is not preferred.

The Queensland planning framework is governed by the Planning Act 2016.

Local councils prepare local planning schemes but must follow the state’s rules and guidelines and incorporate state interests.

Council must consider state interests and associated mapping when preparing a new planning scheme (including the state planning policy and South East Queensland regional plan (ShapingSEQ)).