91É«ÇéƬ

91É«ÇéƬ has lodged two separate State Significant Development Applications (SSDAs) for two on-campus projects located on Barker Street.

• Student Accommodation Redevelopment: This proposal will address the city’s urgent need for diverse and affordable housing, especially purpose-built student accommodation, to ease pressure on the broader housing market.
• Parking Station Upgrade: This proposal aligns with 91É«ÇéƬ’s campus strategy to improve and centralise parking for staff and visitors, reducing internal vehicle traffic and improving overall safety, and easing parking pressure and congestion on local streets.

Both SSDAs were submitted to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for assessment in late 2025 and early 2026.  

Key features of the proposed Student Accommodation Redevelopment SSDA include: 

• Replace the ageing 260-bed student accommodation facility with approximately 711 new beds.
• Build 3 new contemporary mid-rise student accommodation buildings being 10, 11 and 13 storeys. 
• Deliver 5 residential colleges and self-contained apartments, including a dedicated Women’s College and an Indigenous College.
• Deliver quality communal and social amenities, including, but not limited to, a dining hall, wellness spaces, music rooms, study areas, laundries and bike stores.

Key features of the proposed Barker Street Parking Station Upgrade SSDA include:

• 1,400 car parking spaces and 130 bicycle parking spaces
• 8 storeys, increasing the current height by 3 storeys
• Dedicated disability and motorbike parking, plus end-of-trip facilities (showers and lockers)
• Solar panels on the roof
• New signalised intersection at Barker Street and Southern Drive (91É«ÇéƬ Gate 14)
• Structural upgrades for safety and streetscape enhancements

The architect team for the Student Accommodation Redevelopment is Bates Smart – one of Australia’s leading architecture and design firms. 

The design for the Parking Station Upgrade is led by the well-renowned firm Architectus.

For both proposals, Connecting with Country elements have been thoughtfully developed by Yerrabingin Aboriginal consultants.

The proposed student accommodation redevelopment will address the city’s urgent need for diverse and affordable housing, especially purpose-built student accommodation, to ease pressure on the broader housing market. It is designed to support the University’s projected enrolment growth and increasing student demand. The accommodation will provide contemporary, culturally safe living options on campus, including a new Women’s College and new Indigenous College.

The proposed parking station upgrade consolidates parking at the edge of the campus, reducing traffic movements internally, improving pedestrian safety, and easing parking pressure and congestion on local streets. It will also provide an additional 100 bicycle parking racks and upgraded and expanded end-of-trip facilities to encourage active transport to and from campus. 

Both project sites are located on the 91É«ÇéƬ Kensington campus along Barker Street.

• The Student Accommodation is located on the southern boundary of campus, along Barker Street adjacent Gate 14. 
• The Barker Street Parking Station is located on the southern boundary of the campus, located at the corner of Barker Street and Willis Street, also accessed via Gate 14.

The design of the proposed Student Accommodation prioritises pedestrian movement, with covered walkways, and ample bike storage. Vehicle access is via Gate 14 and a new driveway at Gate 15.

The Barker Street Carpark Upgrade supports multimodal access and improves pedestrian safety near key campus and health precinct intersections.

The proposed student accommodation design will target a 5-Star Green Star rating and a WELL Gold certification to enhance the health and wellbeing of the student residents. The design also incorporates aspects of water sensitive urban design and flood mitigation strategies, modular construction elements, tree retention, deep soil planting and low-carbon materials. The precinct and façade design reflect strategies to achieve a strong connection with Bidjigal Country. 

The proposed Barker Street Parking Station is an all-electric building with solar panels on the roof, energy-efficient lighting, electric vehicles charging, sustainable landscaping, and use of bore water. Additionally, the design includes end-of-trip facilities to encourage walking, cycling and use of public transport to and from campus.

Together, the proposed Student Accommodation Redevelopment and Parking Station Upgrade aim to provide numerous key benefits, including but not limited to:

• enhanced built form and landscape aesthetic along Barker Street
• better pedestrian accessibility, safety and connectivity on campus
• the provision of affordable housing to relieve pressure on the private market housing supply
• increase in parking for staff and visitors to address demand and reduced pressure on surrounding streets
• removal of car spaces from the core of the campus to improve pedestrian safety and enhance the amenity of outdoor spaces
• encourage active transport through additional bike parking, changing areas and lockers
• enhanced landscaping for urban cooling. 

Traffic and transport studies have been completed to assess impacts and guide mitigation measures the proposed Barker Street Parking Station Upgrade. These studies assessed current traffic conditions, forecast future demand and evaluate how the proposed developments may affect local roads, intersections, public transport, pedestrian and cycling networks.

These studies are in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) submitted with the formal development application and are publicly available for review.

Solar access and overshadowing have been carefully assessed as part of the design process. The proposals aim to minimise impacts on neighbouring properties and public spaces by optimising building orientation, height, and setbacks. Detailed solar modelling is informing the design to ensure compliance with relevant planning controls and access to sunlight.

91É«ÇéƬ is committed to keeping the local community informed and minimising disruptions throughout the lifecycle of their projects. A Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) will detail how environmental risks will be managed and mitigated during construction and will include:

• hours of construction
• vehicle movements and deliveries
• noise, dust and vibration mitigation strategies
• waste removal and recycling.

Additionally, a Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) will be prepared to provide transparency around traffic routes and materials loading zones. The CEMP + CTMP will be available to view during public exhibition.

Subject to approvals, construction is expected to commence in early 2027 for the new student accommodation and parking station upgrade.

91É«ÇéƬ welcomes feedback on the proposals from students, staff, visitors and the wider community.  Please contact us at estate@unsw.edu.au to be connected with the project team.