Signing marks new phase for Tauranga CBD campus project

Signing marks new phase for Tauranga CBD campus project

The document outlining the conditions for regional funding contributions to Tauranga’s next tertiary campus has been signed.

The signing of the Heads of Agreement for the Tauranga CDB Campus was marked at an event on Friday, in which the key parties gathered to recognise the work completed to date on the project. University of Waikato, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council and Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust have signed the agreement.

The project is a University of Waikato-led campus, which will be shared with the three other parties in the Bay of Plenty Tertiary Education Partnership: Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Te Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, and Waiariki Institute of Technology.

It is expected to enhance the existing network of tertiary campuses in the region, providing purpose-built space for leading academics and researchers, postgraduate and undergraduate students, and for industry and community collaborations and commercialisation activities. Courses will be developed over time to support the Bay of Plenty economy, leading to an estimated 8000 tertiary students over a 17-year period.

The Heads of Agreement between the University, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council, and the Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust sets out the conditions under which funding contributions will be made – land from Tauranga City Council; $15 million from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council; and $15 million from the Tauranga Energy Consumer Trust.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chair Doug Leeder said the Regional Council recognised the significance and potential of the campus to the city when it agreed to allocate funding through its Regional Infrastructure Fund.

“It’s critical for the region to be able to both attract and retain young people, and this campus is a key step towards doing that,” he said. “By lifting the skill base of the region’s residents, we look forward to seeing the flow-on effects of tertiary education that is targeted to the industry’s needs, and the opportunity for the Bay of Plenty to grow.”

Tauranga Mayor, Stuart Crosby, says having a world class university campus will play a major role in supporting the growth of Tauranga by providing jobs and education that attract people and businesses from all over the world.

“The campus will contribute to the city's culture and economy through research, reputation and building, and make our city more competitive, it simply can’t be built fast enough,” he said.

TECT Chairperson Bill Holland says TECT is extremely pleased that there has been agreement by all parties on the future direction of this project.
“We have always believed that the University campus is an important and exciting project for the city and although there is still plenty of work ahead, this is a significant milestone."

University of Waikato Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley thanked the many organisations and individuals who have provided input and support in the years leading up to this point.

“The tertiary education partnership has worked for many years to enhance study and research options for the Bay of Plenty,” Professor Quigley says. “It is pleasing to reach this important milestone in what is a significant development in the region. The University, and the tertiary partnership, look forward to working closely with the community to ensure this CBD campus meets the needs of the region.”

ENDS

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