Gold Coast developers are reported today (Courier-Mail page 11) planning to abandon the Glitter Strip in favour of Ipswich because Gold Coast Council infrastructure charges have doubled, making projects unviable.
Veteran Gold Coast developer Norm Rix described councils such as Ipswich and Logan "welcoming".
Ipswich Planning and Development spokesman Paul Tully said the white shoes and gold chains of the "Gold Coast chardonnay set" would be welcome in Queensland's most-famous blue collar city.
"We already have major developers such as Lang Walker, Maha Sinnathamby and Bob Ell investing in the city.
"Ipswich's land prices and infrastructure charges are quite modest compared with the Gold Coast which seems to be chasing developers away.
"If duty calls and it means donning white shoes and gold chains to attract developers from the Gold Coast to Ipswich, then I am prepared to accept my sartorial responsibility to get these developers to our city," Cr Tully said.
