The University City of the Future plan, which will see the campus become the engine room for jobs and economic development in Melbourne’s North, was officially launched earlier today by the Minister for Industry and Employment, the Hon Ben Carroll MP.
The partnership will transform the 235-hectare campus into a multi-precinct, City of the Future, delivering $5B in investment, 20,000+ new jobs and $3.5 billion in Gross Regional Product (GRP) over the next ten years.
La Trobe and the State Government have agreed to jointly fund a $2 million scoping and feasibility study designed to accelerate investment in the University City.
Minister Ben Carroll said: “The University City of the Future is a gamechanger for Melbourne’s north and has the potential to create 20,000 jobs and drive $5 billion in investment over the next ten years.
“Victoria has some of the best universities in the world – this development will help to cement that reputation and drive economic growth for our northern suburbs.”
La Trobe Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Dewar, thanked Government for their support of the University’s plan to transform Melbourne’s north – currently one of the city’s fastest growth areas.
“This funding partnership is warmly welcomed. The official launch of the City of the Future signals a significant new step forward with Government to transform our Bundoora campus into a thriving University City of the Future, which will act as a catalyst for economic growth, innovation and jobs creation – particularly in the vital areas of health and well-being, digital and cyber innovation, and agriculture, food and fibre,” Professor Dewar said.
“We are turning our campus ‘inside out’, welcoming our local communities to new and dynamic spaces, where community, industry, students and staff will work, live and learn.”
The announcement of a jointly funded $2 million scoping and feasibility study will help prioritise Government and La Trobe activity to attract private investment into seven distinct development sub-precincts:
- A world-class research and innovation Precinct, leveraging La Trobe’s research and innovation strengths in Agriculture, Food and Fibre, Health and Wellbeing and Digital Technologies and Cybersecurity;
- Delivering an expanded private hospital as the first stage of a major new Health and Wellbeing Hub, which will include aged care, childcare and super-clinic facilities;
- Delivering first-class education facilities for more than 40,000 university students;
- Providing new residential accommodation for 12,000 residents, including staff and students (the equivalent of adding a city approximately the size of two Castlemaines);
- Developing a new city centre with a suitable mix of commercial, retail and cultural facilities;
- Finalising the third stage of La Trobe’s $150 million Sports Park, which uniquely combines elite sport and community participation (10,000 community visitors each weekend) with sector-leading research and teaching;
- and maintaining and improving access the University’s eco-corridor for all to enjoy.
The Government partnership with La Trobe on the University City of the Future complements the State Government’s recent election commitment to build a new suburban rail link, including a new La Trobe station at the University’s Bundoora campus.
Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar said the new rail link would unlock investment and innovation as part of the University City of the Future plan.
“The proposed new rail link and La Trobe station will be fantastic for students and staff at La Trobe, and for the communities and industries that surround our campus,” Professor Dewar said.
La Trobe today also announced three key developments in the realisation of the University City of the Future plans.
La Trobe Private Hospital preferred operator announced
La Trobe University announced today that following an international expression of interest campaign it has selected Healthscope (ASX:HSO) as the preferred private hospital operator in relation to the University’s Health and Wellbeing Hub at the University’s Bundoora campus.
The Health and Wellbeing Hub is part of La Trobe’s $5 billion University of the City plan. Once fully completed, the hub will include a new private hospital, aged care, childcare and super clinic facilities.
La Trobe-RMIT Joint Institute for the Future of Food
La Trobe and RMIT Universities have today confirmed a new collaboration which will see the establishment of a Joint Institute for the Future of Food.
In what is set to be a world-class food industry innovation hub in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, the Institute will combine La Trobe’s world-class research strengths in agriculture, food and agribusiness with RMIT’s exceptional research and development capabilities in food manufacturing and production.
The details of the collaboration will be subject to a further announcement.
Planning amendment signed
The Victorian Government has further demonstrated its active support of the University City of the Future with the signing by Victorian Planning Minister Richard Wynne MP of the planning amendment for the Health and Wellbeing Hub and the Research and Innovation Precinct.
This provides planning certainty for developers of the two precincts and enables the projects to commence as soon as possible.
Artist’s impressions available here.
Media Contact Claire Bowers | 0437 279 903 | c.bowers@latrobe.edu.au
