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The NSW Government has given a plan to establish a Japanese university campus on the site of the former Newcastle courthouse the tick of approval.
The Department of Planning and Environment signed off on a $41 million plan from Nihon University to turn the historic Church Street courthouse into a campus that is aimed at boosting the city's "educational capacity and facilitate innovation and cultural exchange".
"The new campus will strengthen greater Newcastle's position as a major university city," Taylor Martin MLC, the Liberal Member of the NSW Upper House for the Hunter, said.
"The university will form part of the metropolitan education and innovation cluster identified in the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan. The new campus will boost the city's educational capacity attracting hundreds of overseas students.
"It will also strengthen the local Newcastle economy from the construction and operational phases that will flow on to nearby businesses."
The former courthouse operated for more than 120 years but closed in February 2016 when the new $90 million law precinct opened in Hunter Street. It was sold by the NSW Government in December 2016 for $6.6 million.
While a timeline for the campus's construction is yet to be announced, Mr Martin said the conditions of consent will ensure changes to the heritage building will be sensitively designed to complement and protect the heritage and character of the former courthouse.
The campus will include two new buildings up to four storeys either side of the existing courthouse building - one for education and one for student and staff accommodation.
The new buildings will be connected at the ground level to the existing courthouse via new glass atriums and the existing side walls will be retained.
There will be a ground-level car park, a new cafe, public domain works and site landscaping, as well as rooftop terraces.
The Church Street location is Nihon University's first overseas campus, selected as a commemorative activity to celebrate its 130th anniversary.
In February 2018, as part of its commitment to the Newcastle project, Nihon signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Newcastle for future exchange programs.
Nihon has previously described its proposed exchange program with the University of Newcastle as "the efficient re-use of the old courthouse".
"It is also intended to open the doors to students of Newcastle University to experience mock-up trials, debating with visiting Japanese students, cross learn the judicial systems of both countries in the environment of the courthouse," Nihon said.
Nihon University would donate more than 5000 books on Japanese criminology and law for the use of Newcastle university researchers.
Some lectures would also be open to the public as part of the university's "social contribution".
"Such open lectures could be on judicial and law matters but also on cultural issues such as tea ceremony, calligraphy, flower arrangement, and other culture oriented activities," Nihon University said.