The build-up to the boom
THE Ripley Valley development is set to go into overdrive with Japanese house builder Sekisui House at the forefront of the expansion.
Civil works will begin in months with the public launch of 64 land parcels for sale set down for March, 2013. The first homes will likley be built by the end of next year.
The first stage of a major shopping centre will be built within five years with 120,000 people planned to be living in the new community within 25 years.
Sekisui House chairman and CEO Isami Wada met with Premier Campbell Newman and Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale on Thursday to work out a plan of action to get the stalled development rolling.
Cr Pisasale emerged from the meeting and said Sekisui House and the council had "just received the full green light from the premier".
"What that means is that the premier has given the full powers of the ULDA (Urban Land Development Authority) to the council. If CEO Wada has a problem he will discuss it with the council and the local people," he said.
"Council is back in charge of our own destiny and Premier Newman has put us in the driving seat.
"Three years of work has gone into making sure that they get it right and Sekisui House is exactly the kind of business partners that we want for Ipswich and Ripley Valley.
"We have got one of the best partners in the world. The planning is the best I have seen and will provide the blueprint for what follows.
"The development is right next to Swanbank Enterprise Park so you will be able to live, work and play in the Ripley Valley. Sekisui House is in charge of 2000 homes and will build a town centre the size of Indooroopilly."
Sekisui House has built 2.1 million houses and apartments in Japan in the last 50 years and has expanded its business internationally in the last three years, including Australia.
Sekisui House produces zero carbon emissions homes with zero waste and built a display home for the G8 Summit.
"What we are mainly interested in as a company is to create communities," Mr Wada told the QT.
"We give consideration to the environment and our main theme is carbon dioxide reduction. Solar panels are very effective in that and 85% of the homes that we built last year had solar panels.
"We are extremely excited about this development because when you are trying to give the environment full consideration it is very hard to do in an already built up area. This is a new area and we are able to be innovative in establishing a new community there.
"We consider houses not just to be for individuals, but to be for social capital. We want to leave a good legacy for the next generation. I was very happy to see that the premier was very interested in the environmental aspects... and when this development is finished I think Australia will have a heightened sense of environment."
Cr Pisasale also said Mr Wada and Sekisui House were "the first to send Ipswich money when we were hit by the floods in 2011".
RIPLEY TIMELINE
September, 2012 - Civil works begin.
March, 2013 - First parcels of land for sale.
December, 2013 - First homes built
2017 - First stage of shopping centre completed
2037 - Community of 120,000 in place.
