Location
The Nedlands campus (Lot 8235 Gordon Street, Nedlands) is bordered by Stirling Highway, Hampden Road, Clifton Street and Gordon Street, Nedlands. The main vehicle access entries are Clifton Street and Gordon Street, with additional access off Hampden Road (east).
The site borders a number of commercial and retail properties along Stirling Highway and Hampden Road to the west, north and east, but is predominantly a residential area to the north and east.
Some surrounding properties have recently been rezoned to accommodate higher density.
The consultation and engagement process on the Nedlands site.
Update: December 2023
Masterplanning is currently on hold while the University investigates the viability of establishing student accommodation facilities on the Nedlands site. The University will provide a further update on any planned engagement activities and outcomes in 2024.
Find out more about student accommodation.
The University’s Nedlands campus was formerly the Nedlands Secondary Teachers College, which opened on 13 September 1969 and was operated by the Education Department.
With the passing of the Teacher Education Act 1972 the college became an autonomous body governed by a board, under the auspices of the Western Australian Teacher Education Authority. Under the Act, the college was renamed Western Australian Secondary Teachers College.
In 1990, UWA purchased the site and converted the facilities for use by its staff and students. The Nedlands campus currently hosts the schools of Design, Education and Population Health. It also has a childcare centre.
As outlined in the 2020 UWA Crawley Campus Masterplan , the University considered a variety of options for its landholdings to ensure a comprehensive approach to planning for the future use of its sites and the Crawley / QEIIMC precinct.
Opportunities to invest in the University’s future sustainability by optimising the use of its landholdings that are surplus to the main Crawley campus have been a key focus. The Nedlands site has been identified as an asset surplus to the University’s core academic functions that could release value for future the University.
In 2022, planning for the future use of the Nedlands site commenced. Due to the complex investigations of various options under consideration for the future use of the site, the planning process is continuing to identify and plan for the optimal future uses.
Extensive community engagement has occurred to help inform future plans for the use of the site. Key findings of this engagement can be found here.
Why was the Nedlands site identified for future planning and potential alternative use?
As part of its 2020 masterplanning process, the University considered a variety of options for its landholdings to ensure a comprehensive approach to planning for the future use of its sites and Crawley/QEIIMC precinct.
Opportunities to invest in the University’s future sustainability by optimising the use of its landholdings that are surplus to the main Crawley campus have been a key focus. The Nedlands site has been identified as an asset surplus to the University’s core academic functions that could release value for future the University.
Who owns the Nedlands site and has the site been acquired through an endowment?
The site is owned by UWA and not been acquired through endowments.
Are there any heritage listed buildings on the site?
The site has no heritage registration nor any buildings of heritage significance. The Nedlands site buildings require significant investment to deliver a contemporary tertiary education experience in coming years.
What is the University’s commitment to planning for the needs of future generations?
As outlined in the 2020 UWA Crawley Campus Masterplan, the University is focused on ensuring the sustainability and growth of the University for decades to come. Any future plans for alternate uses for its surplus landholdings will respect the endowment of our forebears and our responsibility to the future sustainability of the University by generating substantial, enduring educational, social and economic benefits to the Western Australian community.
What are key considerations for the future planning of the Nedlands site?
There are a number of key considerations in the planning and associated engagement process for the future use of the Nedlands site. These include:
- Ensuring a comprehensive approach to planning for the future use of the site, which is informed by stakeholder and community engagement.
- Consideration of various potential future uses including educational purposes, community use, commercial use, student accommodation and residential development.
- Generating value from the site for the benefit of the University and its students and staff. Considerations include options to enhance the connection between the Crawley campus and QEIIMC for students, staff and the community.
- Integration with the surrounding precinct including key considerations such as buildings uses, traffic access, parking and building scale.
What is the planning process for the Nedlands site?
The University has pursued a planning process to investigate potential alternative uses of the site. This process has included a range of stakeholder and community engagement and will lead to the development of a plan to guide future use of the site. An expert team of consultants has been providing advice to the University throughout this process.
What communication and engagement has occurred so far to help inform the future planning of the Nedlands site?
The University has engaged regularly with the local community to encourage residents and stakeholders to participate in the future planning process. This included letter drops across the suburb; newspaper advertising; emails to stakeholders and signage on the site with information about how to get involved.
The engagement process undertaken in 2022 included the following activities to help inform the development of design concepts for the future use of the site:
- Online facilitated focus group session
- Virtual tours of the site and a cultural narrative video
- Short survey of those registered for focus groups
- Community survey
- Design concept review pop up engagements
- Design concept review workshops (feedback on draft concepts)
- Workshop with UWA Convocation members
Since 2022, the findings from engagement activities have been used to inform development of draft design concepts and to underpin ongoing investigations that will help finalise a future plan. These investigations continue and a plan for the site is not yet complete.
Visit the Nedlands engagement findings webpage.
How does the planning for the Nedlands site align with the City of Perth’s planning framework?
Planning for the Nedlands site is being undertaken with consideration of the City of Perth’s existing Precinct Planning process for the UWA/QEIIMC Activity Centre and with local and State planning authorities and government to ensure an aligned approach.
Is it proposed that staff and students will move from the Nedlands site to the Crawley/QEIIMC precinct?
This is a key consideration in the future planning for the site, however any decisions as to if, and when, students and staff will be moved to the Crawley/QEIIMC precinct have not been made and will be subject to the planning process for the site.
What will happen to the buildings, trees and amenities on the site?
These are key considerations that are yet to be decided in the planning process and are subject to further investigation and planning. Decisions will continue to be informed by stakeholder and community engagement.
What will happen to the childcare centre that is currently provided on the Nedlands site?
The University recognises that childcare is an important service to UWA and the local community. The ongoing provision of childcare is a key priority area of investigation in the planning process. The existing facility will remain in its current location for at least the medium term.
What is the proposed timeline for the planning process for the Nedlands site?
It is likely that the process to complete a future site plan will take until 2025.
Which consultants has the University engaged to undertake this planning work?
The proposed planning process is complex and the University has engaged an expert team of consultants to ensure a high-quality planning outcome in the following areas:
- Project management
- Town planning
- Stakeholder and community engagement
- Urban design
- Indigenous context
- European heritage
- Environment / ecology
- Traffic and transport
- Landscaping
- Infrastructure and servicing
- Storm water and flooding
- Economics impact
- Acoustics