A fresh future for Newnham
Plans for Newnham's future development are underway to draw together the many uses of the site, including the maritime and defence, timber and agricultural uses as well as research, innovation, business and industry partnerships.
The University's move to Inveresk involves the relocation of the core of learning and teaching but also strengthening of our Australian Maritime College (AMC) and research presence at Newnham. It also provides a unique opportunity to reimagine how the community could use the area in the future.
A key goal of the project is to create a truly mixed-use place that comprises a range of new residential homes, commercial office space, health, well-being and community uses as well as aged care, sports precincts, large, landscaped areas and the integration of access, movement and services.
Confirmed developments include:
- Expansion of Australian Maritime College infrastructure
- A new multi-million Defence and Maritime Innovation and Design Precinct to foster maritime-specific solutions as well as a broad range of science and technology capabilities, drawing academics from across the country to support Defence Science and Technology
- A new $15 million Defence Cadet facility
- A new Tasmanian Agricultural Precinct including headquarters for the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture to drive regional innovation and research
- Homes Tasmania social and affordable housing
Community facilities, housing and green recreation spaces are being planned for the site to support a vibrant and sustainable population in the Northern suburbs. View the full plans: Newnham Development Strategy (PDF 5.4MB)
Share your thoughts
Let us know your thoughts on how you'd use the area in the future and what facilities and spaces would benefit you or encourage you to visit. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in the conversation and provide your feedback.
Read more below, or download the flyer.
Drop in for a chat:
Check out the plans at Futures Isle, 4/120 Invermay Road on the following dates and times:
- Tuesday, 16 May, 10am - 12pm and 4pm - 7pm
- Wednesday, 17 May, 10am - 12pm and 1pm - 5pm
- Thursday, 18 May, 10am - 1pm
- Monday, 29 May, 10am - 2pm
- Tuesday, 30 May, 10am - 5pm
Join us for a walk around Newnham campus:
Walk and talk about your ideas for this neighbourhood.
Saturday, 13 May
10am - 12pm
Register your attendance
Monday, 29 May
3pm - 5pm
Register your attendance
Meet the Planners:
Ask urban design experts Hassell Studio about the master planning process and what it means for our city.
Monday, 29 May
6pm - 7.30pm
Futures Isle, 4/120 Invermay Road
Register your attendance
Meet us Online:
Chat about the plans over Zoom.
Tuesday, 23 May
5.30pm - 6.30pm
Register for the online event
Request a session for your organisation:
Let us know a time that suits you by emailing ideas@futuresisle.com
Share your thoughts online
Visit the online feedback form
You will also see us popping up at shopping centres in Launceston (Racecourse Cres) and Mowbray throughout the month of May.
Where possible, feedback will be considered and integrated into the next stage of the ongoing master planning process and shared in September 2023 as part of a Planning Scheme Amendment for the proposed rezoning to enable future site uses.
Frequently asked questions
The University’s move to Inveresk is providing the opportunity to reimagine how the area can be used by the community in future, including the mix of future developments, facilities and services that could support people that live, work and visit for years to come.
Urban design consultants Hassell Studios are leading the Newnham Development Strategy. A key goal is to create a truly mixed-use place that comprises a range of new residential homes, commercial office space, health, well-being and community uses as well as aged care, sports precincts, large landscaped areas and the integration of access, movement and services.
Plans for Newnham’s future development are underway to draw together the many uses of the site, including the maritime and defence, timber and agricultural focuses as well as research, innovation, business and industry partnerships. These will all be located in a new mixed-use village united in Launceston’s northern suburbs, connected to the broader region. The campus will evolve over time as different existing uses evolve, others relocate and new uses make their way into Newnham.
The phasing of change can incrementally inform each new layer that is added to help establish a future identity that is a progression from where the campus is positioned today to the place it can become in the future. The full realisation of the masterplan is a long-term project that has at least a 20-year horizon.
This had not been fully determined yet; some University buildings could be repurposed, short-term leased, demolished or redeveloped by other organisations in future.
Confirmed developments include:
- Expansion of Australian Maritime College infrastructure; and
- A new $30 million Defence and Maritime Innovation and Design Precinct to foster maritime-specific solutions as well as a broad range of science and technology capabilities, drawing academics from across the country to support Defence Science and Technology
- A new $15 million Defence Cadet facility
- A new Tasmanian Agricultural Precinct including headquarters for the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture to drive regional innovation and research
- Homes Tasmania social and affordable housing
Still being imagined are the community facilities, housing and green/recreation spaces that could be embedded across Newnham to support a vibrant and sustainable population in the Northern suburbs.
The University wishes to retain an ownership interest in the Newnham Land where possible to ensure the appropriate oversight of the masterplan’s implementation.
YES absolutely, it will grow and evolve into a new place for the community, to live, work, visit and enjoy.
A planning scheme amendment will be submitted to City of Launceston in September 2023, to enable future land use (currently zoned only for educational usage).
At this early stage of the project, it is not possible to estimate the total project cost as there are many variables that will remain in place once the land has been rezoned and a more detailed assessment of project staging can be developed. The University will seek expressions of interest from development partners to assist with funding each of the individual development stages.
The University owns most of the land across the Newnham campus site, with Homes Tasmania and the Defence Cadet Facility owning their areas.
Not in the immediate future. Any site works wouldn’t start until after the rezoning process and will require further planning and upgrades to road infrastructure first, to support the new variety of developments.
Yes, any future developments for Newnham will have parking factored in. It will continue to be distributed around the site for convenience, due to the size and variety of different uses.
The University has engaged Deep End Services to undertake an Economic Impact Assessment. This work is currently underway and will form part of the Planning Scheme Amendment that is lodged with Launceston City Council for assessment.
One of the recommended principles is to develop Newnham as a valuable place that delivers sustainable, long-term environmental benefits and advantages to the local community, University, Launceston and Tasmania.
We’d love to hear your thoughts about how you’d use the area in future, what facilities and spaces would benefit you, or what might encourage you to visit for the first time. You can provide feedback face-to-face at one of the many sessions available throughout May, pop into Futures Isle and check out the information, or share your thoughts online by clicking the link below.
Share Your Thoughts About the Future of Newnham
Feedback will be considered and integrated where possible in the next stage of the ongoing master planning process and shared in September as part of a Planning Scheme Amendment for the proposed rezoning to enable future site uses.