Mall moving again as Ipswich closes body controlled by former council
One of the final structures of the previous decade of Ipswich city councils has been dismantled, clearing the way for the redevelopment of the Ipswich Mall, after months of delays.
The decision to wind up council-run development body Ipswich City Properties was made at an interim Ipswich City Council meeting on Tuesday chaired by administrator Greg Chemello.
The body, operated by a board of directors including the city’s former mayors Paul Pisasale and Andrew Antoniolli and former development committee chairman Paul Tully, was set in place in 2009 to develop Ipswich’s central business district.
On Tuesday that organisation was ended and the redevelopment of the Ipswich Mall for the first time since 2009 became a “public sector project, delivered by a local government in the classical means”, Mr Chemello said at the meeting.
“It is larger than some, not as large as others, but probably not appropriate for a commercial entity to become (involved).”
Mr Chemello said the council would now run the future redevelopment of the Ipswich Mall.
“I think we owe it to the community to be as transparent as possible about the redevelopment of the Ipswich Mall."
Ipswich City Properties is the fifth of the pro-development council-owned committees that operated under previous Ipswich city councils.
Mr Chemello said the decision to wind up the council-owned companies was not a vote against these bodies.
"There are a number of good examples around Queensland of council-owned companies that play a useful role," he said.
A study by consultants McGrath-Nicholl earlier in 2018 questioned the approach by Ipswich City Properties to redevelop the Ipswich Mall.
In December 2017 the Queensland Audit Office said Ipswich City Properties “could not demonstrate value for money” for its plan for developer EPC Pacific to develop the Ipswich Mall.
That report was not released until July 2018.
Two contracts to develop the Ipswich Mall will now go ahead.
One will develop the historic Murphy’s Pub, and another will build a road that connects Nicholas and Bell streets.
In addition, negotiations are being finalised that would allow West Moreton Hospital and Health Service to occupy part of level 3 and all of level 4 in the council-owned Hayden Centre.
Ipswich City Council and West Moreton Hospital and Health Service have entered a Memorandum of Understanding to manage the transition of existing council-owned offices, including the Hayden Centre, Administration Building and IGIC Building.
Under the plan, council staff would move into a new building within the Ipswich Central precinct when construction was finished.
The Murphy’s Pub tender was being awarded after months of intensive review processes.
Mr Chemello said the project would focus on the stabilisation, lifting and sub-structure of the hotel, followed by the interior and exterior renovation and restoration works.
The pub will be known by its original name, The Commonwealth Hotel.
“Restoration and heritage experts have numbered individual elements prior to their removal from the site to ensure that the pub reconstruction will accurately recreate the original 1910 building.”
Mr Chemello said pedestrians and cars would have access along the new one-way, low-speed road connecting Nicholas Street and Bell Street via Union Place.
Civil engineering contractors will design and construct the section of road, including the demolition of the existing Ipswich Mall and pavements, excavation works and the installation and relocation of underground services such as stormwater, power, lighting and communications.
Both projects were expected to start in weeks.
Ipswich Chamber of Commerce president Phillip Bell said some traders had been frustrated by delays to the Ipswich Central development.
“But these are all good signs that Ipswich is moving in the right direction,” Mr Bell said.
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