NEW university accommodation opened today, has secured 220 beds for Canberra students.

Weedon Lodge, the refurbished Cameron offices on Chandler Street in Belconnen, has 175 rooms and includes a complimentary shuttle bus service that connects residents to the University of Canberra.

“The addition of 220 new beds for students studying at the University of Canberra not only strengthens the position of the education sector as our second largest export, but will also benefit other Canberrans in the rental market by freeing up other rental properties,” Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said.

“It will deliver a significant injection of rental properties for students which are leased at a discounted rent of at least 20 percent below market rates.

“We are really pleased to support this development as part of a larger plan by UC to build 1,000 new dwellings for student in Belconnen over the next four years.”

Weedon Lodge was funded by the ACT and Commonwealth Governments through the National Rental Affordability Scheme and will receive almost $12.5million in Australian Government support over the next 10 years.