Newcastle University Honeysuckle Masterplan 

  • By Peter Gordon
  • •
  • 19 Jun, 2019
The article below talks about the University of Newcastle's Masterplan and the future investment that will have a tremendous effect on the local economy, by creating both educational and job opportunities in the area. We identified Newcastle as an ideal location for property investment back in 2017 and several clients purchased in the Honeysuckle area.  

Newcastle University is pressing forward with plans to expand its education offering with a half-billion-dollar development pipeline quickly taking shape.

The university submitted a masterplan to the NSW Department of Planning in June last year across two hectares in Honeysuckle, which it acquired from the government in 2017. The masterplan includes seven buildings in a staged development over 10 years.

Last week the university submitted a development application for stage one of its $95 million creative industries and innovation hub in the city's central business district, following the successful delivery and opening of the $100 million law and business faculty building.

The four-storey building, situated on the corner of Worth Place and Honeysuckle Drive, is the first development on three adjoining parcels of land fronting Honeysuckle Drive and on the former heavy rail corridor. The building will house two groups, the Hunter Innovation Project Innovation Hub and the School of Creative Industries catering to entrepreneurs, start-ups, developers, technical specialists, business advisors, students and researchers.

The Innovation Hub, designed by local Newcastle architects EJE, features a distinctive cross-laminated timber frame, the first of its kind in the city. The state government has backed the Stage 1A building, allocating $4.84 million in Restart NSW funds for the innovation hub, as part of the Hunter Infrastructure and Investment Fund.

The NSW Independent Planning Commission will assess the proposal as a state-significant development. If approved, construction is set to commence on the site within a matter of months, with the completion date set for late 2020.
Vice-chancellor of Newcastle University Alex Zelinsky, said the Honeysuckle City Campus Development would create a strong presence for the University in the Newcastle CBD, enhancing its positive civic, cultural and social impact in the region. “The unveiling of the design for the first building on our Honeysuckle City Campus Development is a momentous step forward in our long-term vision to grow, develop knowledge and be a driver of an innovative regional economy.” The vice-chancellor said while traditional manufacturing had been in decline, Newcastle was seeing growth in ‘high touch’ industries like health and social services. “There is more opportunity to grow. In professional, technical and scientific services. That is, knowledge-intensive jobs that attract skilled professionals and drive new industries. And, in fintech, professional services, information media and communications.” “We want to create the conditions that will allow this kind of economic diversity to flourish.”

The university has been bullish with its expansion plans after successfully completing the $95 million NeW Space building in central Newcastle and raising funds for the medical school and research institute in Gosford which is under construction and set to open in 2020.

There are also plans for a $149 million Gosford campus for the university.

On the supply side, Urban Taskforce's Chris Johnson said the continued investment in education would help reactivate the historic centre of Newcastle and bolster its economy. “The new law school has already shown how innovative architecture located adjacent to the light rail line adds important activation to the CBD.”  “While activating Newcastle’s centre is significant it is also important to ensure that the suburban areas also have new job and educational opportunities and it seems that the university is getting the balance right.”

The university also has plans in the pipeline for a $200 million expansion program for STEM faculties, funded entirely by the university.
The new faculty building will be located on the university's main campus in Callaghan, north west of the city centre.

Article courtesy The Urban Developer 18/6/19

Newcastle is still on our radar and we have one, two and three bedroom apartments available in West End that we believe are an excellent opportunity if you are looking to invest here.

If you'd like to meet for a one on one chat with Peter to find out more about Newcastle properties please contact the Investo Team  


Introducing The Palms Estate, Cairns - The Northern Beach's Premier Address

By Peter Gordon • April 26, 2023

Quiet simply, the Palms is the place to buy!

The northern beaches of Cairns is the Nation's best location for property investors right now, and The Palms is the premier development in this boom region.

It has the best location being elevated and backing onto the rainforest. It will have amazing facilities with a shopping village, a primary school, parks and green open space, a water park and an expanse of wildlife corridors.

It has taken the developers three years to get planning approval for this unique development to be able to hit the market. There are only 300 lots spread across 85 acres of the best land in The Northern Beaches.  Residents will have an abundance of open space right at their doorstep.  The Palms is also the only Certified Enviro Development project in Far North Queensland.

> Cairns Snapshot

In the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne, the winner is ... Brisbane

By Peter Gordon • April 20, 2023

Sydneysiders and Melburnians, put aside your equally outstanding flat whites for a moment. Stop bickering about whether great beaches beat cool laneways (they do) and desist from debating whether all baristas require waxed moustaches (ideally).

Because Brisbane is closing in on the title of Australia’s best city, and we must join forces to keep this subtropical upstart in its place.

Time  magazine recently named Brisvegas on its “World’s Greatest Places” list, and omitted our cities. It’s a huge shock (and who knew they still published Time  magazine?). But they might be onto something.

Time  points to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will be hosted in the maroon metropolis. Brisbane will do a fine job, even though it’ll baffle the world when rugby league is added to the schedule and Queensland is allowed to field its own team.

Time’s  most radical claim is that Brisbane is worth visiting now, but tourism is surging. Not only did Lin-Manuel Miranda recently drop in to catch Hamilton , but hundreds of Hamilfans flew up to watch his interview with Leigh Sales (presumably unaware that it would subsequently arrive on iView for free).

Incredible Lifestyle At An Affordable Price  Equity of approx $390K on completion

By Peter Gordon • April 6, 2023
This small duplex development just a short drive from Hervey Bay on Queensland’s beautiful Fraser Coast, offers an incredible lifestyle at an affordable price. With unprecedented demand and very limited supply, prices look set to skyrocket.

A leading local agent has appraised each side of these duplex's to be worth $665k on completion and rent for $495 per week. So that is massive potentail instant equity of up to $390K on completion, which is incredibly hard to find.
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