A fresh future for Newnham
Plans for Newnham's future development are underway to draw together the many uses of the site, including the maritime and defence, timber and agricultural uses as well as research, innovation, business and industry partnerships.
The University's move to Inveresk involves the relocation of the core of learning and teaching but also strengthening of our Australian Maritime College (AMC) and research presence at Newnham. It also provides a unique opportunity to reimagine how the community could use the area in the future.
A key goal of the project is to create a truly mixed-use place that comprises a range of new residential homes, commercial office space, health, well-being and community uses as well as aged care, sports precincts, large, landscaped areas and the integration of access, movement and services.
Confirmed developments include:
- Expansion of Australian Maritime College infrastructure
- A new multi-million Defence and Maritime Innovation and Design Precinct to foster maritime-specific solutions as well as a broad range of science and technology capabilities, drawing academics from across the country to support Defence Science and Technology
- A new $15 million Defence Cadet facility
- A new Tasmanian Agricultural Precinct including headquarters for the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture to drive regional innovation and research
- Homes Tasmania social and affordable housing
Community facilities, housing and green recreation spaces are being planned for the site to support a vibrant and sustainable population in the Northern suburbs.
View the full plans
Newnham Development Strategy (PDF 4MB)
Frequently asked questions
Plans for Newnham’s future development are underway to draw together the many uses of the site, including the maritime and defence, timber and agricultural focuses as well as research, innovation, business and industry partnerships. These will all be located in a new mixed-use village united in Launceston’s northern suburbs, connected to the broader region. The campus will evolve over time as different existing uses evolve, others relocate and new uses make their way into Newnham.
The phasing of change can incrementally inform each new layer that is added to help establish a future identity that is a progression from where the campus is positioned today to the place it can become in the future. The full realisation of the masterplan is a long-term project that has at least a 20-year horizon.
This had not been fully determined yet; some University buildings could be repurposed, short-term leased, demolished or redeveloped by other organisations in future.
Confirmed developments include:
- Expansion of Australian Maritime College infrastructure; and
- A new $30 million Defence and Maritime Innovation and Design Precinct to foster maritime-specific solutions as well as a broad range of science and technology capabilities, drawing academics from across the country to support Defence Science and Technology
- A new $15 million Defence Cadet facility
- A new Tasmanian Agricultural Precinct including headquarters for the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture to drive regional innovation and research
- Homes Tasmania social and affordable housing
Still being imagined are the community facilities, housing and green/recreation spaces that could be embedded across Newnham to support a vibrant and sustainable population in the Northern suburbs.
The University wishes to retain an ownership interest in the Newnham Land where possible to ensure the appropriate oversight of the masterplan’s implementation.
YES absolutely, it will grow and evolve into a new place for the community, to live, work, visit and enjoy.
The University will go through the appropriate planning processes to enable future land use (Newnham is currently zoned only for educational usage).
At this early stage of the project, it is not possible to estimate the total project cost as there are many variables that will remain in place once the land has been rezoned and a more detailed assessment of project staging can be developed. The University will seek expressions of interest from development partners to assist with funding each of the individual development stages.
The University owns most of the land across the Newnham campus site, with Homes Tasmania and the Defence Cadet Facility owning their areas.
Not in the immediate future. Any site works wouldn’t start until after the rezoning process and will require further planning and upgrades to road infrastructure first, to support the new variety of developments.
Yes, any future developments for Newnham will have parking factored in. It will continue to be distributed around the site for convenience, due to the size and variety of different uses.
The University has engaged Deep End Services to undertake an Economic Impact Assessment. This work is currently underway and will form part of the Planning Scheme Amendment that is lodged with Launceston City Council for assessment.
One of the recommended principles is to develop Newnham as a valuable place that delivers sustainable, long-term environmental benefits and advantages to the local community, University, Launceston and Tasmania.
We’d love to hear your thoughts about how you’d use the area in future, what facilities and spaces would benefit you, or what might encourage you to visit for the first time. You can provide feedback by emailing campus.transformation@utas.edu.au
Feedback will continue to considered and integrated where possible as the ongoing master planning process continues to evolve.