AV Jennings has lodged an application to extend approvals for its controversial Deebing Springs development next to the Deebing Creek Mission Aboriginal Cemetery Reserve.

As reported in the Guardian & Tribune in January, time was running out for the developers with approvals from Ipswich City Council to subdivide the 30.4ha site into 137 lots, including six multi-residential lots and a shopping centre. The approvals were set to lapse this June.

A Covid-19 extension was applied to extend approvals to December 30.

Developers have now applied to council to extend approvals a further four years so that the development can be completed.

Operational works approvals for a number of stages have already been obtained for the site at 144 Grampian Drive.

Works came to a halt in October 2019 after indigenous protesters set up camp on the Grampian Drive site, saying burials extended beyond the State Government Aboriginal cemetery reserve into the development site. 

Ground penetrating radar studies carried out in 2019 on test sites near the cemetery reserve support this with several anomalies detected on the development site.

The development site adjoins the cemetery reserve on the opposite side of D