Tauranga uni campus moves a step closer

Tauranga's own university campus in the city's central business district has moved a step closer to becoming a reality after the parties involved agreed on how contributions towards the project will be provided.

The Heads of Agreement between various authorities, which included the University of Waikato Council, will see shares set out via $15 million each from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust, plus land from Tauranga City Council.


An artist's impression of the proposed university campus on Durham Street. Photo; Supplied.

The University of Waikato-led campus in Durham Street will be shared with the three other parties in the Bay of Plenty Tertiary Education Partnership - the Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Te Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and Waiariki Institute of Technology.

It is hoped the campus will be developed to enhance the existing network of tertiary campuses in the region.

The University-led facility will provide purpose-built space for leading academics and researchers, postgraduate and undergraduate students, and for industry and community collaborations as well as commercialisation activities.

The Heads of Agreement will be formerly signed over the coming weeks, but work begins next week on finalising funding agreements, appointing design and project teams and representatives to the trust that will oversee the project.

The new campus is expected to open to students in 2020.

It is to focus on programmes that relate to areas of regional activity, including marine, ICT and logistics, but further courses will be developed over time to support areas of economic and industrial need in the Bay of Plenty.

According to University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley, it's an exciting milestone for the Bay of Plenty community.

'It's important for the region that we can attract or retain young people who will make the Bay of Plenty even stronger,” says Neil. 'This campus, which will be one of the most significant developments in the region in many years, will do that for the region.”

Meanwhile Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chairman Doug Leeder is excited at the prospects of more students being attracted to the region and the business-focussed research and development opportunities that this provides.

'The agreement on the Tertiary Campus shows the strength of our regional partnerships, and what can be achieved through vision and collaboration,” suggests Doug.

'This campus will deliver improved educational and economic opportunities, and is a major part of our commitment to economic development through our Regional Infrastructure Fund.”

TECT Chairperson Bill Holland says they are extremely pleased that an agreement has been reached by all parties on the future direction of the project.

'We have always believed that the University campus is an important and exciting project for the city,” says Bill, 'and although there is still plenty of work ahead, this is a significant milestone.”

It is hoped that over its two stages of construction, the campus will provide more than $49 million in direct construction expenditures, $47 million in flow-on effects for suppliers and households, an estimated 427 construction jobs and 272 tertiary operations jobs.

It's expected that following the development of the campus, 8000 tertiary students will study in the Bay of Plenty over a 17-year period.

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8 comments

Should be govt funded

Posted on 25-05-2015 13:19 | By Annalist

This project should not be funded by councils or TECT. Education is the responsibility of central government and we pay taxes to them for this. I wonder how many cultural studies, gender issues, and counselling courses will be run?


This won't work!

Posted on 26-05-2015 08:59 | By The author of this comment has been removed.

The polytech has many empty rooms in the Bongard building. The university should be renting rooms from the polytech instead. The present parking space should be retained by us - the ratepayer and students pay to park, just like the rest of us. All this because "It's good for the city".


.

Posted on 26-05-2015 10:01 | By maccachic

Lets hope transport plans and parking are fully implement if this goes ahead. The routes in and out the city are already over capacity and parking is full during office hours. Seems like some airy fairy plan by Council to keep propping up Tauranga for their own agendas and stuff the ratepayers.


Wake up

Posted on 26-05-2015 10:19 | By Towball

This is far more beneficial than a cycle track or some of the other mindless ventures council have invested in. The thought that my children may be able to attend an institution locally rather than have to go to another city is fabulous . You want to encourage people to the CBD well students are spenders also ! More so than the generic generation we have currently who only visit the CBD to plan their next overseas holiday or park up for a cycle ride and flash a gold card to get a discounted meal !. Evolution is key.


Great news

Posted on 26-05-2015 11:19 | By tgacentral

The University will be great for the CBD and will require a lot more space than a few rooms in the polytech! Funding has also been approved for a new parking building to replace and increase any lost parking as a result of the uni.


So figure this out

Posted on 26-05-2015 11:49 | By Annalist

The council using ratepayers money gives this project some land that ratepayers had bought for parking. Then the ratepayers have to pay for another parking building to replace that land. Meantime the government is laughing all the way to the bank as they get ratepayer to cough up for education. Are people so stupid as not see this?


Can someone please explain

Posted on 26-05-2015 12:01 | By How about this view!

WHY do we need a new campus in the central BUSINESS district?? There is no room for expansion in the future. I would have thought that there could be some forward thinking initiatives put into play here. Why not have a campus with room around it for student parking initially, that could then be used as space for the expansion and development of a quality learning facility in years to come. But then the ACADEMICS would be disadvantaged wouldn't they?


Annalist and Big Ted

Posted on 26-05-2015 12:46 | By YOGI BEAR

Agree, this whole scheme is a sham, the end result will be a huge cost to the TCC ratepayers to fund and bail it out time and again, just like every other occasion where TCC has a plan so cunning ... here we go again, is there ever going to be any respite fro TCC ratepayers from this regular Rorting, endless bills, meaningless spend ups of others money?


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