Adapted Master Plan endorsed following community consultation

The University of Queensland’s new four-year Strategic Plan and Master Plan were endorsed by the UQ Senate earlier this week.

UQ Vice Chancellor and President Professor Peter Høj said both documents were critical to helping the University achieve its ambitions and meet the expectations of students, staff, partners and community.

“Now, more than ever, we need to make sure our students and staff are prepared for a rapidly changing world while continuing to invest in, and advance our research partnerships and industry collaborations to deliver public benefit,” he said.

“The 2018-2021 Strategic Plan has been designed to help us achieve this, and in conjunction with the Master Plan, we are confident that we can create an environment where this is possible.”

Professor Høj said the award-winning Master Plan was developed as a visionary document to highlight the possibilities and signal the long-term direction of the University, and had been informed by a significant amount of community consultation.

“I would like to acknowledge the community’s feedback and involvement in the master planning process, particularly those from our Community Reference Group,” he said.

 “We have listened to the community and government, and made a number of amendments to the Master Plan based on their feedback relating to the University’s Community Infrastructure Designation (CID), student numbers and growth, transport planning and infrastructure, and the land outside the main campus.”

Key amendments include:

• a preferred bridge alignment to West End is no longer included and will be subject to further discussions with local and state governments
• plans for the Long Pocket, Hawken Drive and Avalon precincts will be subject to further consultation to ensure community expectations are reflected
• no immediate intention to expand UQ’s current Community Infrastructure Designation.

Professor Høj said the collaboration between UQ and both state and local governments through the UQ St Lucia Master Plan Government Working Group had also contributed significantly to the final plan and that the University was committed to continuing to work closely together.

The Senate’s endorsement of the Master Plan allows UQ to commence the preparation a Site Development Plan (SDP) which is a more specific planning framework for development.

Professor Høj said the SDP would be released for public consultation early in the new year.

“I am confident that when we take the SDP out to consultation in early 2018, the community will see how their concerns have been addressed and their views incorporated into this more detailed plan,” he said.

Professor Høj said his next priority was to share both the Strategic Plan and Master Plan with staff and students in detail in the new year.

Media: UQ Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, 3365 3439.