Trinity Flats Scheme

The situation is not completely hopeless. Some encouragement can be taken from the proposed Student flat complex to be built on Clermont Tee. Anthony Ward, the student rep on the Accomodation Committee, outlined briefly for me the history behind the proposal and some recent developments.

Originally, it was planned that two new Halls of Residence should be built, one by the Anglican Church called Newman (in the area where the Sociology Department now lives in Clermont Terrace); and the other by the Catholic Church (Trinity - in the Graveyard next to the Union building). With the costs of Halls rising rapidly, the two organisations decided to pool their resources and concentrate on the Clermont Terrace site. Architets' drawings for a new Hall were commissioned.

In the meantime, attitudes towards Halts changed. The new Helen Lowry Hostel in Karori found itself in severe financial problems with large debts to service. The Presbyterian Trust, in planning Everton Hall, decided in favour of a flatting complex, which has since been built. The Trinity/Newman complex was still intended to go ahead, when the finance could be found. However, in view of the financial difficulties many Halls were going through, and the heavy costs of new Halls compared with flats, the University Grants Committee (which controls the money for new accomodation) decided in favour of flats.

This decision, and the opposition of people involved with accomodation, including the Victoria Students' Association, eventually changed the Trinity/Newman mind in the middle of 1975. At that stage flats were decided upon, and architects drawings were called for. After a bit of discussion over the form the flats should take, basic design was nutted out. This involves about 130 students in 30 flats of four and five.

The flatting complex design is at present being costed, to be presented for the University's Accomodation Committee before going to the University Grants Committee. Anthony was confident this proposal would get the nod and thought building would start as soon as the Sociology Department was moved to VON Zedlitz, their new home. The first students should move in for the 1978 year.