NSW Labor

Premier Kristina Keneally today announced approval has been given to a $427 million plan to redevelop and expand the UTS Broadway campus.

The plan includes:

• Around 60,000 square metres of additional floor space for educational, retail, cultural and sporting uses;
• Around 25,000 square metres of extra floor space to house 720 students in apartments and associated facilities in the Peter Johnson Building; and
• 70 bicycle spaces for resident students.

“This redevelopment will allow the University of Technology to further cement its role as a key educational, medical, research and technology centre,” Ms Keneally said.

“The approval also gives the green light to construction on a $70 million, 21-storey high student housing building.

“Development of the student accommodation alone will create around 500 construction jobs and another 40 ongoing employment opportunities.

“The student accommodation meets the needs of an increasing student population, but importantly it will also reduce demand for rental housing in the local area, and boost affordability.

Planning Minister, Tony Kelly, said controls on the development will maximise the role of UTS as an educational institution, and minimise its impact on surrounding areas.

“The university undertook a design competition for the Broadway building as part of its application, with the winning design incorporated into this plan,” Mr Kelly said.

“The design of a prominent entry way into the campus from Broadway will also be developed through a design competition, as part of future project applications.

“The concept plan redistributes parking spaces across the campus without increasing these numbers, and also improves pedestrian linkages on the site.”

Mr Kelly said the proposed demolition of the existing Bradshaw building will be allowed, following a thorough examination by the Department of Planning.

“The university has committed to an interpretation plan, including photographic archival recording, prior to demolition,” Mr Kelly said.

Under the planning approval, the university has committed to:

• Maximising retail, student union and other activities at ground level, increasing the activation of the street frontage;
• Maximising pedestrian access into and through the site;
• Offset overshadowing through improved building frontages, better defined street edges and other public domain works; and
• Achieving very high environmental performance ratings for its academic buildings.