Property Master Plan details coming soon

Following a lengthy engagement and consultation process with the wider St Andrew’s College community, details of the new Property Master Plan, which will inform the College’s development over the next 30–50 years, are expected to be released within the next couple of months, says Rector, Mark Wilson.

“In March, McIldowie Partners, our external experts helping to lead this process, presented the Board with strategic concepts which had emerged from the community engagement and draft proposals. A draft master plan will be shared with the Board on 11 May, with a final plan expected in June.”

Mark says McIldowie Partners’ skill, experience, and significant involvement in the education sector has resulted in a smooth and robust process.

“We are confident we have captured the voices and ideas of many different stakeholders in our community, which will result in a strong development plan for the College moving forward.”

At the end of last year, more than 20 consultation workshops were conducted with students, staff, Old Collegians, parents, and the senior leadership team, which revealed remarkably consistent values, themes, and opportunities to inform proposals for campus redevelopment, says Mark.

“We have also developed an Education Brief with Dr Ben Cleveland, Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne, which is setting a clear pedagogical agenda for future‑focused learning environments. Together with our new Strategic Plan, the Education Brief is also helping to guide the principles of the Property Master Plan.”

In January, as staff returned for the academic year, the first Co‑Design workshops were held with 25 selected staff and students.

“These workshops were incredibly useful, helping us to gain insights into the different perspectives of staff, students, and even parents, who all have different priorities and unique ways of experiencing the campus,” says Mark.

Following these workshops, the master planning process moved from the ‘Define and Discover’ phase to ‘Develop and Design’, when main priorities were identified and developed into a formal draft plan.

Mark says another key aspect of the planning process has been looking at the staging of future building developments on the campus.

“Prioritising the order of projects, and staging their development in a way which causes the least disruption to the operation of the College, is a critical part of the plan.”

As the process nears its end, Mark says he and the Board are ‘excited’ to release the new Property Master Plan to the St Andrew’s community.

“We are looking forward to seeing spades in the ground and action starting to happen, which should be within the next couple of years,” shares Mark.