Govt to build new primary school and classrooms in Canterbury for extra students

Education Minister Chris Hipkins visited Lemonwood Grove School in Christchurch, where he released a Growth Plan for the Canterbury region.

The Government will build a new primary school and 16 new classrooms in Canterbury for 1100 extra students, as part of a long-term plan to make sure there's enough space for the growing school-aged population.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins visited Lemonwood Grove School in Christchurch, where he released a Growth Plan for the Canterbury region. The plan forecasts that about 6000 additional student places are needed by 2030.

"The previous National Government failed to take a strategic approach to cater for growth nationwide. They had a draft growth plan only for Auckland, but failed to recognize that a number of regions around the country are also seeing their school rolls increase rapidly," Chris Hipkins said.

"Since the earthquakes, more families are choosing to move to towns like Rolleston. The Canterbury region is a unique area because there's significant growth in school-aged kids in the outskirts of the central city.

"That is why we've bought land for a brand new primary school in Rolleston, we're significantly expanding Lemonwood Grove School for 350 extra students and building 16 classrooms at six schools.

"This is just the start. As the project's progress we will be making further school property investments in Canterbury.

The Canterbury region Growth Plan is part of the National Education Growth Plan unveiled earlier this month.

"We don't want to see kids crammed in school libraries and hallways – this puts a strain on the teachers and the students. When parents are sending their kids to their local schools, we want them to be confident that they're learning in warm, dry and comfortable spaces.

"For years, families, schools and the construction industry have been in limbo about any future investments in schools in their area, and schools have been struggling to keep up with growing school rolls.

"Our plan catches up and brings the building of new schools and classrooms in line with future growth. It also gives the construction industry certainty about what projects are in the pipeline.

"While there is no specific Growth Plan for the West Coast and Tasman regions at this stage, we are also building 9 extra classrooms in those areas," Chris Hipkins said.

Of the $1.2 billion of funding for school property in the Wellbeing Budget, the investments announced today represent about $24 million of that funding. This includes:

Canterbury:

Allenton School - 1 teaching space

Wharenui School - 1 teaching space

Gilberthorpe School - 3 teaching spaces

South New Brighton School - 3 teaching spaces

Hornby Primary School - 4 teaching spaces

Marshland School - 4 teaching spaces

Lemonwood Grove School - Expansion providing 350 additional student spaces

Acquisition of a new site for a future primary school in Rolleston – 400 student spaces

Nelson/West Coast:

Franz Josef Glacier School - 1 teaching space

Waimea Intermediate - 3 teaching spaces

Stoke School - 2 teaching spaces

Murchison Area School - 3 teaching spaces

This follows the $200 million announcements for Auckland and Tai Tokerau in early July.

Further announcements about investment in school property, including the release of Growth Plans for other regions, will be made in the coming weeks.

(With Inputs from New Zealand Government Press Release)