The $1.5 billion first stage of Ripley Town Centre officially opened on Saturday 26 May, with the milestone marking one of the first regional infrastructure deliveries in the Ripley region since October 2010 when the State Government nominated it as a priority development area to accelerate development for the growth requirements in South East Queensland (SEQ).
The Ripley population is tipped to grow by almost 28 per cent each year during the next eight years, which will underpin the growth requirements in SEQ. The $40 million first installment of Ripley Town Centre, developed by Sekisui House and constructed by Hutchinson Builders, is anchored by a Coles store. The first stage reflects a marketplace theme and spans 9400 square metres, including 20 specialty businesses, commercial office space and 360 car parks to support the growing Ripley community. Among the retailers are BWS, Madhouse Discount Ripley, APAR Hair Studio, Eco Shot Café, Ripley Dental Surgery, Ripley Veterinary Hospital and opening soon Ripley Medical Centre and Chinese Lor Restaurant.
Sekisui House Australia CEO Toru Abe described the town centre opening as a “game-changer” for the western growth corridor, noting it was set to become a vital commercial and community hub for southeast Queensland. The eco-friendly town centre recently received a 5 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia, after complying with strict criteria for sustainable design and construction across nine categories. “Regional projects can lead on sustainability,” Toru said. “This project is packed with intelligent design features such as the rooftop solar that doubles as carpark shading and reduces greenhouse gas emissions up to 15 per cent. Sustainability excellence was a primary objective of the Ripley Town Centre project and this required innovative design and management to achieve high indoor environment quality, energy and water saving plus a selection of low-impact materials to minimise the impact on local ecology.”
The heart of the centre offers a showpiece open air space, Satoyama Way. Landscaped with trees, green walls, water features and a range of seating areas, the design was based on the Japanese concept of Satoyama – harmonious interaction between nature and man-made environments. The area will be extended as the town centre grows.
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