The Housing Minister representing the Honourable President of the Republic of Indonesia, presented Greater Springfield the award as the winner of the master planned category at the 61st World Congress of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) in Bali.

FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Awards is the annual accolade of awards bestowed upon the world's best developments.

Fifty-four entrants from 11 countries battled it out for the top honours on the night with South East Queensland’s Greater Springfield beating property projects from Asia, Europe and the United States.

Springfield Land Corporation Chairman Maha Sinnathamby said he was humbled to accept the international award from Indonesia’s President.

“When we bought this 2860 hectare parcel of land almost twenty years ago and revealed we wanted to turn it into one of Australia’s most remarkable developments, many dismissed it as a pipe dream,” Mr Sinnathamby said.

“Today Greater Springfield is the very definition of a master planned community. More than $2.4 billion has been spent turning the former forestry into Australia’s largest and fastest growing master planned community - $12 million a week, $600 million a year.

“People can’t really understand how large this project is. This is not a development, this is community building – a city.

“Our CBD is twice the land area of Brisbane’s and it already has Australia’s most advanced building, the $220 million Polaris Tier III+ Data Centre and a privately funded dark-fibre communications network.

“We are in the middle of the Western Corridor with five major arterials intersecting us and with the Queensland Government promising rail shortly, this is just the start for Greater Springfield, it will only get bigger and better.

“Work is well underway on two massive projects, an 18-hectare master planned precinct which already boats several schools and a university campus and the massive 52 hectare Health City development.
 
“Springfield Health City will be revolutionary in its approach to health care and will be a one-stop health and wellness destination with everything from oral health care and GP services to an acute hospital, aged care and independent retirement living units.”

“This award is welcome recognition that all our efforts to help uplift society and bring a sense of community back, are working.”

“This award is recognition for all the people who believed in Springfield and is proof positive that we have the runs on the board to help South East Queensland cope with its growing pains.”

The win now puts Greater Springfield up there with the likes of previous master planned winners including the magnificent Lakeshore East skyscraper development in Chicago and Malaysia’s colossal Setia Eco Gardens.

President of FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Awards 2010 Mr Yeow Thit Sang said Greater Springfield took out the master plan category because of its state of the art design and the benefits it provides to the community.

“The $19 billion development was designed to be fully self-sufficient bringing together the best in business, ICT, education, health, retail and entertainment in the one location,” Mr Sang said.

“The development is an international masterpiece and the fact the developers have at their own expense spent hundreds of millions in improving community infrastructure made this project unique.”

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said the win is a feather in the cap of the entire Western Corridor.

“A decade ago if someone said this part of the world would be home to the planet’s best development they would laugh at you. It just shows when you follow a dream anything can happen,” the Mayor said.

“Ipswich City Council and Springfield Land Corporation have worked very hard to turn the Western Corridor into the jewel of South East Queensland and now a large piece of it has been recognised as such by the world’s foremost experts.

“I believe this win will open up even more business opportunities in Australia’s fastest growing region and Ipswich City Council aims to capitalise on that.”

Mr Sinnathamby said it is estimated more than $15 billion will be spent in the next 20 years further developing Greater Springfield.

“Greater Springfield is already a place like no other and we aim to make it better,” he said.


Media Contact:
Shaun Rigby, Sequel Communications on + 61 7 3251 8140 or + 61 438 021 936