Deakin reviewing central city move

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
A STUDENT-led recovery of central Geelong is partially on hold as Deakin University reconsiders its campus relocation strategy.
The university confirmed the second phase of the strategy was being “reconsidered” for “strategic, infrastructure and financial” reasons.
Deakin media manager Andrew Birks said the arts and education faculty move to the university’s Waterfront campus was “still to be decided”.
A phase-one move of 1200 business and law students would go ahead this year as planned, he said.
The Independent revealed in June that Deakin planned to relocate 2000 students from Waurn Ponds as part of a Waterfront enrolment boost of 5000 in the next five years.
Deakin Vice Chancellor Professor Jane den Hollander told the Independent the influx would “create a new buzz of student activity in the Geelong CBD.”
Mr Birks said the “long-term vision remains” but the timing of the arts and education move had changed.
“We still plan to co-locate art and education and business and law but it will be done in two phases to identify the most-appropriate disciplines to relocate.
“It was decided to co-locate complementary disciplines rather than relocate the entire faculty holus bolus.
“We’ll take some time to identify the complementary activities to relocate.”
Mr Birks confirmed that administration and management functions had already moved from the Waterfront’s John Hay building to a new Dennys Lascelles building.
He said 160 Business and Law faculty staff would move from Waurn Ponds to the Waterfront campus.
The relocation strategy was aimed at creating a precinct for the professions at the Waterfront campus and another for health and science at Waurn Ponds.
Mayor John Mitchell, who welcomed the student relocation plans last year, said the decision would have minimal impact on council’s central activities revitalisation project.
“Deakin has to make its own decisions and it’s more important it gets it right,” he said.
“The (council) laneways project is funded and is close to being announced, so we’re progressing as quickly as we can.”
Geelong Chamber of Commerce’s Bernadette Uzelac said she could understand Deakin needing certainty on its strategic directions.
“Deakin is going through major changes structurally, so it has a lot of factors to consider.”