On 1 July 2025, Ipswich City Council replaced the long-standing 2006 Ipswich Planning Scheme with the new Ipswich City Plan 2025. Council confirms the new plan took effect on 1 July 2025, replacing the 2006 scheme.
For some landowners, developers and investors, this change may have reduced development potential, changed zoning, introduced new overlays, increased assessment requirements or made certain projects harder to achieve.
There is still a potential pathway to have your proposal assessed under the old rules — but the window is closing quickly.
If you want your application assessed under the superseded 2006 Ipswich Planning Scheme, you must lodge a superseded planning scheme request before the deadline.
Deadline: 1 July 2026.
But practically, you should not be waiting until the end of June.
Why You Need to Act Now:
Although the formal deadline is 1 July 2026, a superseded planning scheme request often requires supporting material before it can be lodged.
For many subdivision or development proposals, this may include a survey plan or supporting plans prepared by a surveyor.
A survey plan can generally take around one month to prepare. That means if you wait too long, you may find yourself with only a matter of days — or less — to finalise the planning request, prepare the supporting material and lodge everything with Council before the deadline.
In practical terms:
If you are considering using the old Ipswich Planning Scheme, you need to start now.
Leaving it until June may be too late.
What Is a Superseded Planning Scheme Request?
A superseded planning scheme request is a formal request asking Council to consider your proposal under the previous planning scheme rather than the current one.
In Ipswich, this means asking Council to assess your proposal against the 2006 Ipswich Planning Scheme instead of the Ipswich City Plan 2025.
This pathway may be useful where the old scheme was more favourable for your land or development intentions.
For example, the new plan may have:
- changed your zoning;
- reduced development yield;
- introduced new overlays or constraints;
- made subdivision harder;
- changed assessment levels;
- reduced building height or density expectations;
- made a previously supported use less favourable.
Who Should Be Looking at This?
You should urgently consider advice if:
- you own land in Ipswich with subdivision potential;
- you had plans prepared under the old 2006 scheme;
- your site has been down-zoned or affected by new controls;
- the new Ipswich City Plan 2025 has reduced what you can build or develop;
- you were considering a reconfiguration of a lot, townhouse, dual occupancy, small-scale residential or commercial project;
- you want to preserve a development opportunity that may no longer be supported under the new scheme.
The key issue is whether the old planning scheme gives you a better pathway than the new one.
If it does, a superseded planning scheme request may be worth pursuing — but timing is now critical.
The Real Deadline Is Earlier Than You Think
The legal deadline is 1 July 2026.
However, the practical deadline is much sooner.
You may need time to:
- review the 2006 and 2025 planning scheme provisions;
- confirm whether the old scheme is actually more favourable;
- engage a surveyor;
- prepare or update plans;
- obtain a survey plan;
- prepare the formal planning request;
- compile supporting material;
- lodge the request with Council before the cut-off.
Because survey plans can generally take around a month, there may only be a very short period left to properly prepare and lodge the request.
This is not something to leave until the last minute.
How Steffan Harries Can Help:
Steffan Harries can assist with the full superseded planning scheme request process, including:
- reviewing your property under both the 2006 and 2025 planning schemes;
- identifying whether the new scheme has reduced your development potential;
- confirming whether a superseded planning scheme request is worthwhile;
- advising on the plans and supporting material required;
- coordinating with surveyors where needed;
- preparing the formal request;
- managing lodgement and communication with Council;
- advising on the next steps if Council approves, modifies or refuses the request.
Do Not Wait Until June
If you want to rely on the old Ipswich planning rules, you need to move quickly.
The deadline to lodge a superseded planning scheme request is 1 July 2026, but with survey plans and supporting material often required before lodgement, the practical window is much shorter.
If you wait until the final weeks, there may not be enough time to prepare everything properly.
Need Advice?
If the Ipswich City Plan 2025 has affected your land or development intentions, now is the time to get advice.
Steffan Harries can review your site, compare the old and new planning scheme provisions, and advise whether a superseded planning scheme request is the right pathway.
Contact us now to avoid missing the opportunity to have your proposal assessed under the old 2006 Ipswich Planning Scheme.
