Small and medium gauge ammunition and explosives will be stored at a purpose-built armoury on the site and fire treatment facilities will be the very latest, because of the high threat of fire at a military complex.

The weapons testing range is to test and adjust the 30-millimetre cannon and machinegun equipped to new Boxer CRV armoured vehicles manufactured by Rheinmetall, which on Wednesday won a $5 billion defence contract from the Australian government.

The development application for the project contains a special report on risks and hazards for the site on Robert Smith Drive at Redbank, including the high risk of fire.

“There is considerable risk to firefighters in the event of a fire in a magazine,” this safety report notes.

The Rheinmetall Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence also includes a bullet trap, blast ranges and an electromagnetics test facility.

It has areas set aside to allow weapon loading, firing and clearance checks, and includes a system to make sure weapons systems are “cleared” so no live ammunition is left within the weapon systems before they leave the site.

It will be built on a riverfront corner of the Redbank peninsula on a long wedge-shaped block on Robert Smith Drive.

The site will have defence-industry standard security fencing and the latest security and telecommunications equipment at the front and rear security gates.

The public is warned about viewing the laser testing equipment through binoculars, the risk reports says. "Such instruments include binoculars and telescopes in the case of large-diameter collimated beams, or magnifying lenses and microscopes in the case of highly divergent beams," the report notes.

The development application was lodged with Ipswich City Council by the Queensland’s government’s Department of State Development about three weeks ago, before the successful tender was announced.

Ipswich mayor Andrew Antoniolli told Fairfax Media on Wednesday he expected the Rheinmetall application would come to the council in about eight weeks and tipped it could create a further 1200 jobs linked to the 200 direct defence jobs in the first three years of operation.

State Development Minister Cameron Dick said Rheinmetall’s decision to choose Redbank as the location for the military vehicle complex was made last year after the company looked at several sites around south-east Queensland.

“Rheinmetall considered a number of options across south-east Queensland for this world-class facility, and settled on the dedicated industrial zone within the Redbank Motorway Estate,” Mr Dick said.

“This choice of location will make use of the existing heavy vehicle manufacturing and employment hub, as well as the highly skilled workforce within the area."

Mr Dick noted the importance of the site's position on two of the major highways in south-east Queensland.

“Locating the centre of excellence near major transport routes will also achieve supply chain efficiencies and attract further investment and growth in the defence and advanced manufacturing sector,” he said.

Rheinmetall Defence Australia managing director Gary Stewart told workers who celebrated the decision at the company’s Wacol plant on Thursday new centre would be world-leading.

“It will be a lighthouse for military vehicle construction in Australia,” Mr Stewart said.

At the top of the block is an all-weather oval-shaped test track for the 211 Rheinmetall Boxer CRV armoured vehicles to be assembled at the plant from 2020.

The Military Vehicle’s Centre of Excellence also includes:

At any one time, the site will house more than 5000 litres of “dangerous” liquids, although that includes paints, solvents, cleaners and other liquids used in painting the military vehicles.

However the development application notes controlling liquids leaving the site is a risk for the plant on the riverside block.

The development application for the Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence does not classify it as either hazardous chemical site, or a special industry for the city.

The application for the Military Vehicle Centre of Excellence is instead made as a general industry.