The University of Wollongong unveils grand vision for future campus

This expansion, to occur over the next 20 years, will add 82,000 square metres of floor space to the university's Gwynneville grounds. It will be populated by 50 per cent more full-time students and be anchored by a flagship building to form "an intense and vibrant hub" along the street.

These "medium to long-term" plans have been revealed among a large file of documents lodged with Wollongong City Council during the planning process for the university's new 1000-bed student accommodation towers.

A "notional master plan" for Northfields Avenue provides an insight into the institution's significant expansion plans.

At the forefront is a flagship research and academic building which would stand in place of the existing entrance car park and childcare centre, as well as a new overbridge, a transport and student services hub and upgraded retail and commercial facilities.

In the short term, over the next two to three years, the university plans a modest building program which includes the six and seven-storey accommodation blocks, underground power lines, a new shared pathway, better street lighting and landscaping and a pedestrian bridge at the UniCentre entrance. UOW's director of facilities management, Bruce Flint, said these projects would help improve people's first impressions of the university's "front door".

"The university is conscious that, if you look at the buildings that are there currently, it's pretty poor stock and it's the front door to the university," he said.

"[UOW] is thinking about how does it present to the outside community, and how can it make a better entry statement."

He said the master plan was intended to be a "vision document" to help guide development over the next two decades and that it would continue to change.

"It's a planning reference document that has not been formally endorsed by the university council, but it's like a vision; as it becomes closer firmer proposals and designs will be formulated," he said.

"It's then that the plans will be formally approved by our council, go out to the public and to Wollongong City Council or NSW Planning for approval."

With several other buildings scattered across the campus, the Northfields Avenue projects will contribute to a 41 per cent increase in building floor space - from 198,000 to 280,000 square metres - which will be coupled with a 50 per cent jump in the full-time student load (from 16,700 to 25,000) over the next 15 to 20 years. However, the number of car spaces will only increase by 20 per cent in the same period - from 3100 to 3650 spaces.

The university has justified this lack of parking space by highlighting that the planned student accommodation blocks would create "an on-campus university town" and Mr Flint said there was a deliberate effort to reduce the number of car parks per student.

"Transport planners say don't build more car parks, because the more car parks you build, the more people that will drive," he said. "We are providing more transport options for students to come to the campus [including] the Gong Shuttle, the new [Innovation Campus] shuttle, the revised Keiraville-Gwynneville shuttle and the new Transport for NSW service from Dapto direct to the uni."