ACT 2023-24 budget to fund new Gungahlin College in Nicholls

The new Gungahlin College is planned to be open by the end of the decade and will have capacity for 800 students with room to expand up to 1100 students if required.

The exact opening date and cost of the new college will not be revealed before the tender process is completed.

However, a college of this size is expected to cost in the order of $100 million.

Telopea Park High School will receive $42.2 million over four years to expand the senior campus capacity by 500 places to cope with strong enrolment growth in the inner south.

The overcrowded North Ainslie Primary School will get $1 million to go towards design work for the expansion and modernisation of the school.

The government will spend $10.9 million over four years for roof replacements at Latham Primary School, Gowrie Primary School, Red Hill Primary School and Telopea Park School.

Black Mountain and Cranleigh special education schools will receive $8 million over four years for infrastructure upgrades.

Planning for a new college in the Molonglo Valley will begin with $2 million of funding allocated in the budget over two years.

The government will spend $500,000 on a feasibility and planning for modernisation of Fraser Primary School and $500,000 to design and plan a 250-place expansion of Forrest Primary School.

READ MORE:

Education Minister Yvette Berry said sustained investment in education infrastructure was a priority for the government.

"Our youngest Canberrans deserve the very best education facilities, this budget delivers that," Ms Berry said.

"I know the new college in Gungahlin is being eagerly awaited by people in our city's north, and I'm pleased we are moving ahead with what will be Canberra's 10th public college."

Meanwhile, P&C of the current Gungahlin College has been calling for measures to expand capacity as enrolments continue to grow.

Two new high schools are being built in Canberra's north. The East Gungahlin high school in Kenny is scheduled to open next year and the North Gungahlin high school next to Margaret Hendry School will open in 2025.

The budget will include extra funding to meet "cost pressures" for construction projects under way at Garran Primary School, the new Strathnairn primary school and new North Gungahlin high school.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: