Property sale to pave way for new student accommodation

Friday, 6 September 2002

The University of Adelaide has announced that it is selling a number of properties in North Adelaide as part of a strategy to develop more - and better - student accommodation and other facilities.

The University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor James McWha, said that the buildings, used mainly for student accommodation, were no longer suitable for that purpose and were under-utilised. Three of the buildings were unoccupied and fewer than 20 students lived in the others, he said.

Prof McWha said that disposing of the properties was the first step in a strategy that would enable the University to offer a variety of more appropriate accommodation options to country, interstate, and international students.

"Students are finding it more and more difficult to find suitable housing close to the North Terrace campus," he said. "Accommodation is also hard to find for visiting academics and postgraduate students. The ability to offer modern accommodation is increasingly important for universities seeking to attract students from outside their immediate environs. This is particularly so in the case of South Australia's universities, which will need to attract more interstate and overseas students as the state's youth population declines. The University of Adelaide now developing a new accommodation strategy which will identify the nature and amount of accommodation required to meet this growing demand. In addition, the University remains committed to providing subsidised housing for students in need."

The North Adelaide properties to be offered for sale are:

Four houses on MacKinnon Parade and four houses on Finniss Street currently used for student accommodation

2. Two houses on Finniss Street currently used by the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music (CASM) as practice rooms and a recording studio. Relocation closer to CASM's main base at the Schulz Building on North Terrace, is planned

3. The gymnasium complex on MacKinnon Parade together with three houses on Finniss Street currently used by the Centre for Physical Health (Unigym). The Adelaide University Union is currently exploring options to open its own gym facilities in the Union Building on the North Terrace Campus.

The announcement has been welcomed by the President of the Adelaide University Union, Ms Susie Young.

Ms Young said: "Student accommodation in Adelaide needs to be upgraded and increased, and we are pleased that the University is addressing the issue and maintaining its commitment to providing subsidised housing for students in need. We're also keen to consider developing gym facilities on the North Terrace Campus where they will be more accessible to students and staff."

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