Released 25/07/2017
A new agreement between the University of Canberra and Canberra-based developers CIC Australia will transform the campus into a world leader in sustainable residential development and urban design.
Worth an estimated $1.7 billion dollars, the agreement will see a staged release of up to 3,300 residences over the next 20 years, with the number of dwellings capped at 200 a year.
A key part of diversifying our economy is to support growth in our higher education sector. The University of Canberra is a major employer in Canberra and I’m pleased to see it going from strength to strength.
This agreement is made possible by a series of legislative amendments to support the University of Canberra as it continues to grow in size, in reputation and in its economic and social contribution to our city.
Students studying architecture, landscape architecture, building and construction management, urban planning and other relevant disciplines will be involved in the project, which will also fund a new chair of urban design position at the University.
This smart development shows again how the Government, the University and the private sector can work together to produce something with layers of benefits far greater than the sum of its parts. Of course, residential developments create jobs and increase housing supply for our growing city, but at the University, they create opportunities for education and research that will attract more smart minds to Canberra.
Similarly the government is building a new teaching hospital on the University of Canberra campus. This will boost health services and create jobs in construction, but by putting it on the campus we also make the University more attractive to students and researchers- boosting our city’s economy.
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Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases