Our vision

Our vision is to develop warm, affordable, and sustainable student accommodation.

The site is well positioned for all three of our campuses and close to the city—ideal for students moving between study, work and recreation.

Currently, the buildings are earthquake-prone and deteriorating and not serving our student community or the city.

In December 2025, the University confirmed its decision to demolish the buildings at 320 The Terrace. A major factor in that decision is the ongoing risk that the buildings present to the community in that they are earthquake-prone, dangerous, and have deteriorated over the last decade. It is also not financially viable to refurbish the existing structures, which suffer from extensive rot, asbestos, seismic issues, and other critical problems.

While there is more to do to realise our vision, this decision marks the beginning of a process that will enable us to provide warm, affordable, and sustainable student accommodation at meaningful scale. It is a significant milestone for our university and our students, and a positive step forward for the future of our city.

We are now working through options to fund the redevelopment and meet the unique requirements of student accommodation, and will continue to do so through 2026.

You can find out more about the University's involvement with the site in Our story.

Information for neighbours and local residents

Ensuring public safety is our highest priority through the demolition. We understand the demolition will be disruptive for our neighbours and we are committed to minimising that impact. Site preparation began in December 2025 and activity and heightened noise from demolition works can be expected from now through the rest of 2026.

Find out what's happening in our updates.