Plenary preferred for $5 billion La Trobe University development plan

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – La Trobe University has selected Plenary as its preferred master development partner to help realise its $5 billion University City of the Future project, transforming its 235-hectare Bundoora campus.

The University City of the Future will reimagine the campus experience and include a dynamic research and innovation precinct, world-class sporting and sports research facilities, a major health and wellbeing hub and exciting new commercial, retail and residential developments.

La Trobe is leading a refresh of its master plan, working with Plenary and key stakeholders.

La Trobe University Vice Chancellor Professor John Dewar AO said Plenary has extensive experience in leading large-scale, complex projects and also shares the university’s cultural values.

“Plenary is a highly reputable global company that is aligned with the university on environmental sustainability, and providing long-term social and economic benefit to communities,” Mr Dewar said.

“We’re excited to be partnering with the Plenary team to accelerate this ambitious plan, bringing innumerable benefits to our staff and students, as well as industry, partners and the wider community.”

La Trobe Property and Economic Development Director Mary Lacson said the partnership will enable the university to deliver a truly innovative project that will revolutionise how universities deliver education and research, while building a stronger, more resilient society.

“Our main goal is to develop a multi-purpose, sustainable and mixed-use community, and position La Trobe as a pioneering and transformative university, and the partner of choice for industry and academia,” Ms Lacson said.

Plenary Chief Executive David Lamming said Plenary is thrilled to be partnering with the University on this iconic project.

“This project will redefine how university precincts in Australia and abroad are designed, developed and delivered,” Mr Lamming said.

“It will help to cement La Trobe as a global University of choice for students and staff, increase engagement with government, industry and the community, and showcase it as a sustainability exemplar.

“Our experience in the formation of long-term partnerships to deliver complex projects here and overseas make us ideally placed to perform the role of development partner, and we look forward to delivering on the exciting vision for the University City of the Future.”

About University City of the Future

The University City of the Future will ultimately set La Trobe on a path of renewal, delivering revenue, social and economic growth for the University and wider community. It will

• create economic and social growth in Melbourne’s north – including education facilities for over 40,000 students, more than 20,000 new jobs and 3,000 construction jobs per annum, and $3.5 billion gross regional product (GDP) over 10 years
• be a key anchor of the La Trobe National Employment and Innovation Cluster (NEIC), supporting the creation of long-term jobs and driving economic growth and innovation
• turn the campus ‘inside out’ by welcoming the community and industry to transform the campus into a place to live, learn, socialise and stay healthy
• provide a platform for lifelong learning, study, research, development, innovation and sharing ideas across all La Trobe campuses
• build on La Trobe’s expertise in health and wellbeing, agriculture, food and environment, and digital technology and transformation, by attracting new partners and enabling opportunities for research investment and collaboration; and
• integrate La Trobe with surrounding communities, and be an inspirational place where students, academics, industry, government, community, partners and entrepreneurs can collaborate, and solve real world problems.

The University City of the Future transformation has already started with

• a world-class Sports Park, open for teaching, research, community participation and elite sport – and soon-to-be home of the Australian women’s national soccer team, the Matildas
• new 624-bed sustainable student apartments
• a commitment to enhancing and protecting La Trobe’s biodiverse waterway, Nangak Tamboree; and
• a research and innovation precinct ecosystem that connects businesses with research, students and infrastructure.

Plenary is the development partner for La Trobe’s $288 million AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience public-private partnership – a world-class facility for agricultural research and development completed in 2012 and managed by Plenary under a 25-year concession.