New $18m school revealed for Tauranga

Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges at the Pyes Pa site where a new school will be built. Photo/John Borren

Details for a new school in Tauranga have been revealed, with $18 million coming from the Government for the new Pyes Pa facility.

The new school will be built on a 5.2 hectare site on Kennedy Rd and once completed will have a planned roll of about 650 students.

Minister of Education Hekia Parata and Associate Education Minister Nikki Kaye made the announcement at Tauranga's Welcome Bay School this afternoon.

The investment comes as part of a $53.5m schooling package for Tauranga, Hamilton and Hawkes Bay as part of the Budget 2016.

We know how fast our city is growing and the need to accommodate more students in our schools.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges

In Tauranga the $18m will help built the new school in Pyes Pa, with a planned roll of 650. Another $2.5m will go toward six roll growth classrooms - two each at Oropi School, Welcome Bay School and Maungatapu School.

In Hamilton around $25m will go to Sylvester Primary School, to be built under a public private partnership with a planned roll of 700. Another $4m will help expand Endeavour Primary School to cater for a roll of 600 (up from 400 currently).

Hawkes Bay will receive $4m for eight new classrooms. This will include four new classrooms at Havelock North Primary School and two new classrooms each for Te Mata School and Lucknow School.

"This is a significant investment which will ensure local schools can accommodate growth and provide students with learning environments that enable them to achieve to the best of their potential," Ms Parata said.

"As with other parts of New Zealand, Tauranga, Hamilton and Hawkes Bay are all experiencing population growth. With that population growth comes increases in school rolls, so this investment is about staying ahead of schools' need for more quality learning spaces."

Ms Kaye said today's announcement followed recent school expansions and new schools to address local population growth.

"In Bay of Plenty, Papamoa College and Golden Sands School have undergone significant expansions to enable them to accommodate more students.

"In Tauranga, we've seen Otumoetai School, Bellevue School, Bethlehem School, Te Wharekura o Mauao and Brookfield School all get new classrooms, and schools such as Pillans Point School are also on-track for additional classrooms.''

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said he welcomed funding for new school and classrooms as the city had been identified as a high growth area and one where demand for more classrooms was high.

"This announcement is great news for Tauranga and the families of Pyes Pa, the Lakes and other nearby suburbs which are growing at a fast rate," Mr Bridges said.

"I have been working hard for the people in this electorate," Mr Bridges said.

"We know how fast our city is growing and the need to accommodate more students in our schools. I have met with several of our principals and have been campaigning for this funding, which will help alleviate some of the pressures of the fast growth in some of our suburbs."