The University of Wollongong is forging ahead with its overhaul of the campus entryway, lodging new plans to construct a supermarket and revamp the food hall just weeks after a major postgraduate accommodation block was approved.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Plans with Wollongong City Council show a proposal to gut and refurbish parts of the UniCentre building which runs along the southern boundary of the main Gwynneville campus.
The most significant change would see the careers office and medical precinct relocated from the ground floor, making way for an IGA supermarket.
The second floor function centre and kitchen would be turned into a medical precinct, careers centre and health and well-being area. Additionally, the kitchen and food court area would be overhauled, a food and drink premises would be restored to make way for future tenants and a deck would be built on the ground floor.
According to the plans, the supermarket would be open seven days, from 8am to 9pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. This would mean about 13 pallets of food would need to be delivered to the university loading dock each week.
The supermarket is part of the institution’s continuing plans to keep students – especially those living in university accommodation – from having to leave the campus and go into Wollongong.
‘‘The provision of the IGA allows students and staff to purchase products without the need to go off-campus for their purchase,’’ the documents say.
‘‘This is particularly relevant for students who live on campus in the residential accommodation.’’
Over the next two years, the university will make space for an extra 1000 on-campus residents.
A postgraduate accommodation block, which will house up to 260 students at the eastern end of Northfields Avenue, was approved on July 30, while an undergraduate block which would have space for 800 people will come before the regional planning authority in coming months.
Aside from the two accommodation towers and the UniCentre revamp, the university recently opened a $1.7 million bus terminal along the street.
In April, it also revealed a ‘‘notional master plan’’ for its entryway which showed intentions to transform the leafy avenue into a high-rise retail, transport and accommodation corridor.
An extra 82,000 square metres of floor space would be added to the Gwynneville grounds to accommodate an expected 50 per cent jump in student numbers over the next two decades.
The UniCentre plans are on exhibition through the council’s website until August 26.
