University plans ‘an abomination’

Here we go again - a 12-level, multi-storey, 400-bed student hostel is to be erected near the projected Waikato University cum-iwi-controlled Tauranga campus for ‘student accommodation', with no parking, and no space on site to develop further.

What a shambles! When you look at the hostel site and the paltry 2023m2(?) university site, which also has no adequate parking or room to expand in the middle of Tauranga City, and then compare it with the old, established Otago University Campus which is still developing with around 10 hectares on the fringes of Dunedin, it is an abomination. Gifted land, the $30 million TECT and BRC funding, plus government input is still, in my opinion, destined to falter even with a blank sheet advantage to start with.

Spiraling costs, constrained development, no adequate parking and the prospect of in-fighting will be disastrous for any university!

Those responsible for selecting its location, ceding control thereof and the curriculum offered, need to be held fully accountable. While the downside isn't currently obvious, that's because it hasn't started up yet, but once it is up and running, all will inevitably turn to custard. On the spokesperson's own admission it is firmly aimed at educating foreign and part-Maori students.

Yes, a university facility properly planned/sited, controlled by Bay Of Plenty people with meaningful educational targets was overdue for Tauranga but not with the sort of attached baggage that is currently surfacing.

R Paterson, Matapihi.

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2 comments

Have to agree .......................

Posted on 26-05-2017 10:07 | By The Caveman

400 students and NONE of them will have a car - Yeah Right !!


Yup.....

Posted on 27-05-2017 21:35 | By groutby

.,,,I could not agree with you more, but when you think of this being a 'genuine" place in which to gain your world respected and sought after degree, then you wouldn't be here in the first place, so, where does this REALLY leave us?


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