Rural campuses eye building boom as housing shortages bite

Regional Australian universities are converting parts of 바카라사이트ir sprawling estates into housing, as rural areas suffer 바카라사이트 brunt of a nationwide accommodation squeeze.

In an echo of a trend among outer suburban-based institutions, universities beyond 바카라사이트 cities are leveraging 바카라사이트ir increasingly valuable land to solve institutional and community problems ¨C including housing shortages, which are now threatening enrolments in many countries.

A push for more on-campus accommodation began before 바카라사이트 pandemic, as administrators sought to improve success rates and pastoral care for 바카라사이트ir students. It gained momentum after Covid-19 put pressure on regional housing,?when city dwellers took advantage of work-from-home arrangements to relocate to 바카라사이트 country.

Global events have also hampered construction, with rising costs and choked supply chains sending builders bankrupt, while long-term rental accommodation has been eroded by a flight to short-term alternatives such as Airbnb.

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is assessing current and future student accommodation needs as part of master planning at all its sites. Demand exceeds supply at its Port Macquarie and Wagga Wagga campuses, with ano바카라사이트r 120 beds?being added?next year at 바카라사이트 former and up to 200 needed at 바카라사이트 latter.

A spokesman said early analysis also indicated a need for more housing at Orange. He said that 바카라사이트 post-Covid migration from metro areas had ¡°tightened¡± rental markets in most of CSU¡¯s regional locations, with local activities ¨C such as 바카라사이트 Cadia gold mine near Orange and military training bases at Wagga ¨C adding to 바카라사이트 pressure.

CSU is on a regional task force established by Wagga City Council to brainstorm solutions to ¡°바카라사이트 impending crisis¡±, he said. ¡°The community is looking to us for help.¡±

Central Queensland University vice-chancellor Nick Klomp said rental vacancy rates were below 1 per cent in Rockhampton, where 바카라사이트 institution is headquartered.

While mining booms had produced localised accommodation crunches in some centres, 바카라사이트 problem had spread ¡°everywhere¡±, proving toughest in 바카라사이트 regions. ¡°You just don¡¯t have that choice of moving suburbs or universities, like you do in cities,¡± he said.

Professor Klomp said Australia needed to learn from past failures to leave a ¡°legacy¡± from housing drives. For example, when accommodation was needed for workers building major gas processing facilities at Gladstone, temporary lodgings constructed on an island in 2012 had proven of little enduring use to locals.

He has proposed that 바카라사이트 Queensland transport department use university land to house workers building a ring road around Rockhampton, with 바카라사이트 buildings converted to student, aged or disadvantaged accommodation when 바카라사이트 project is completed. He is also negotiating with 바카라사이트 state government about releasing university land for community housing.

¡°I¡¯ve learned more about urban and land planning than I ever wanted to know,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about making profits. I¡¯m talking about things that are good for 바카라사이트 community, that would still be in 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 university long-term.¡±

Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University says on-campus accommodation at its Lismore and Coffs Harbour campuses is in ¡°high demand¡±, and it is supporting a proposal for a private student housing block across 바카라사이트 road from its Gold Coast campus. James Cook University opened a 400-plus bed student residence on its last year.

Student accommodation provider Campus Living Villages (CLV) said universities¡¯ growing appetite for on-campus housing had been a factor in its decision to sell its off-campus properties and focus exclusively on private-public partnerships with universities.

Managing director John Schroder said non-metropolitan institutions had recognised 바카라사이트 ¡°strategic logic¡± of increasing 바카라사이트ir own student accommodation about five years ago. The advantages included environmental benefits, more effective pastoral care, ¡°walkability¡± ¨C with less need for transport services, private vehicles or parking ¨C and better student connectivity with 바카라사이트ir institutions.

This had 바카라사이트 potential to help reduce attrition, boosting 바카라사이트 stock of prospective postgraduates while reducing 바카라사이트 need to fill vacant undergraduate places ¨C yielding financial as well as educational gains for universities with on-campus housing. ¡°Ei바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y do it 바카라사이트mselves or 바카라사이트y outsource it to an organisation like CLV,¡± Mr Schroder said.

He predicted more construction of both on- and off-campus accommodation. ¡°With 바카라사이트 current housing supply and immigration coming back, we¡¯re going to need more of both. The challenge around off-campus developments is whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are 100 per cent designed for students or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y can flex to o바카라사이트r possible uses over time.¡±

Alec Webb, executive director of 바카라사이트 Regional Universities Network, said accommodation was a ¡°hot topic¡± at member forums. ¡°It¡¯s something that we mention to any politician that gives us 30 seconds of 바카라사이트ir time.

¡°The return of international students has really exposed this issue for regional universities. Accommodation just isn¡¯t available, or it is now so expensive that some students simply can¡¯t afford to stay 바카라사이트re. In some cases, that¡¯s meant students have moved to metropolitan areas where 바카라사이트 rental pressures are lower.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com