Deakin plan for waterfront student accommodation

Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander said the approval from the Deakin University Council was a vital step towards Deakin’s vision to transform Geelong as a thriving University City.

Professor den Hollander said the project, planned for Deakin’s car park at 19-23 Brougham St, was now also making its way through the State Government’s planning approvals process.

“We are delighted to announce this project, which will create a lively extension of the university campus, enabling 410 students to call the address home, while providing jobs for 200 workers during the construction phase,” Professor den Hollander said.

“Importantly, this project will allow more students to immerse themselves in university life and in doing so, enhance the important contribution they make to this community.

“Deakin University is committed to supporting the communities we serve, which is why we are focused on ensuring Geelong is a bustling, energetic city, filled with the leaders of tomorrow, who will continue to help transform the city when they go on to work in the jobs of the future.

“By supporting more students to live close to the Waterfront campus, we will enable them to contribute to the city well beyond attending the University for their lectures.”

The Deakin Council’s approval comes after the recent announcement by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews that a business plan would be developed for the construction of a convention centre on the University’s larger Waterfront car park, between Western Beach Road and Smythe St. The Victorian Government and Deakin also announced a masterplan would be developed for Deakin’s Waterfront campus landholdings and surrounding areas.

“This project will help ensure we can capture the energy and positivity students create, while helping to make them feel connected to the community, which in turn will enable them to contribute more widely to its development,” Professor den Hollander said.

The project will include apartment-style accommodation, across 10 levels of the planned 11 storey building.  It will also include basement level car parking and an architecture workshop on the ground floor for School of Architecture and Built Environment students.

Professor den Hollander said that subject to planning approval, the project could start before the end of the year. A phased project completion is planned with Deakin hoping that part of the building could be ready for students for the start of Trimester 1 in February 2018 and project completion in mid-2018.

“Deakin is proud to be able to invest in projects that are for the good of the entire communities we serve and this plan is in addition to the recently-refurbished T&G Building in central Geelong, which is now home to 33 of our Deakin students,” Professor den Hollander said.

She said the number of students choosing to study at Deakin’s Waterfront campus had grown to 4,500 – an 80 per cent increase from 2,500 in 2011. Across Deakin’s two Geelong campuses there are now almost 12,000 students.

The project has been submitted for approval to the State Government Planning Minister, who is the responsible authority over the proposed development.