$15m for tertiary campus

The prospect of a new, purpose-built shared tertiary campus is one step closer with TECT funding $15million to expand tertiary education in Tauranga.

The funding joins $15m of funding from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council through its Regional Infrastructure Fund, the donation of Durham Street parking lot from Tauranga City Council, and financial support from the University of Waikato.

A design drawing of the campus superimposed over the Durham Street car park site where it will be built.

The funding allocation was confirmed at TECT's recent board meeting.

The campus is proposed by the Bay of Plenty Tertiary Education Partnership, which is made up of four tertiary institutions - Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi, Waiariki Institute of Technology and the University of Waikato.

In March Tauranga City Council confirmed its intention to go ahead with a university in the city, handing over the Durham St parking lot towards the $65 million project. The total land area is 0.371 hectares with a rating value of $3,768,000.

The campus is expected to attract more young people, particularly Maori, into tertiary education.

The release of funding from all parties will be subject to a number of conditions designed to maximise the project's benefit to the city and wider region.

TECT chairperson Michael Cooney says 88 per cent of TECT consumers who took part in TECTs survey support the expansion of tertiary education in the city.

'There is plenty of work still to do but this is exciting progress. Trustees are currently negotiating with the University of Waikato to establish courses in Tauranga which build on and develop the strengths of our local economy.,” says Michael.

'We are looking to establish, initially, unique offerings in limited areas which will provide students with good employment prospects.”

Critical to further progress will be Government support through the Tertiary Education Commission of student numbers.

'Our Community is stumping up with a lot of community funds to support what is supported in other areas by Government funding. It is right that government at least provide a commitment towards the growth in student numbers,” Mr Cooney said.

Bay of Plenty Regional councillor John Cronin says it is terrific to see further investment being made into the project.

'Attracting and retaining young people to the Bay of Plenty is crucial to develop employment, education, and business opportunities here,” says John.

'This campus is one of the most significant developments to happen in the region in the past 25 years and is a huge step towards making that growth happen.”

The Regional Infrastructure Fund is providing up to $15m towards the construction of stage one, a new purpose-built campus by 2016. Following that, stage two will see a second building on the campus by 2022.

Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby says the TECT's funding is a generous and significant contribution to the collaborative project that will provide positive and long lasting benefits to the city centre, the wider city and the region.

'Tauranga City Council made a decision through our annual plan process to provide a site on Durham Street to be used to develop the new university campus. This followed consultation that showed strong community support for the project. The elected members see this as a game changer for the city and our community,” says Stuart.

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.

It's hoped that over its two stages of construction, the tertiary shared 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.

A design drawing of the campus superimposed over the Durham Street car park site where it will be built. - See more at: http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/66839-carpark-gifted-campus.html#sthash.hptnxO8C.dpuf

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5 comments

Experimental Lunacy

Posted on 24-07-2014 20:45 | By ROCCO

Significant words here are "will attract young maori into tertiary education" and the University of Waikato....... What a formula for an educational disaster waiting to happen.


HOTBED of ACTIVISM ?

Posted on 24-07-2014 21:08 | By ROCCO

Looked at the design artistic licence drawing again and you won't be building that little beauty for $36m $60m 0r $100m try $200m to 300m.OMG it won't look like that when it is finished either.


But!!!!

Posted on 25-07-2014 14:52 | By Sambo Returns

where will they all park?????


Wood for the trees

Posted on 25-07-2014 16:13 | By expatAucklander

Tauranga could arguably be one of the only cities in the country where the confirmation of a fantastic major development is met by a few grumbling keyboard warriors nitpicking the insignificant or making 'cost assumptions' that they are completely unqualified to make. Show some positivity!


Correct Expat Aucklander

Posted on 04-08-2014 12:08 | By Paul Melhuish

Summed it up well Expat. Good honest debate on this site is pretty much impossible due to the negativity, ignorance and bigotry. Better moderation is need to clear out these people but I doubt it will happen. Good luck if you intend to stay reading and contributing…it can be amazingly disappointing.


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