Hobsonville Point residents are up in arms over a proposed zone change for the local primary school. Photo / Supplied
Hobsonville Point residents are up in arms over a proposed zone change for the local primary school. Photo / Supplied
Some families living across the road from their local primary school at Hobsonville Point in Auckland will be shut out under a proposed zoning change.
Hobsonville Point Primary School is bursting at the seams in the popular suburb where new houses are springing up every day.
Principal Daniel Birch saidthe proposed zone was put forward by the Ministry of Education because the school was built in 2013 for 690 pupils and currently has a roll of 760.
The ministry's proposal to nearly carve the current zone in half and place the school on the edge of the zone boundary has sparked a backlash on social media, and plenty of feedback to the school.
"I think the planner needs to go to Specsavers," said Paul Pattison.
Jessie May, who lives on a road that borders the school and bought a house with the school in mind, said it would be insane if they could not send their daughter to the school.
Said Mark Pedersen: "Whoever put this map together all need a lobotomy. I am less than 100m from the front doorstep and I'm out of zone. In three years my boy will be attending this school enrolled or not."
Krispin Davies was concerned that being moved out of the zone would change the value of their house, saying "furious is an understatement".
A local mother told The Herald two of her three children attend Hobsonville Point Primary School, only 800m from their house.
But under the new zoning, her youngest wont be able to attend the same school as her older brothers and will only be eligible to attend the new school at Scott Point.
"I have to make the decision as to whether I pull the other two out of Hobsonville Point Primary School and put them into Scott Point with her, or if I have her there by herself.
"Its just awful, it's actually awful."
Birch said all pupils currently at the school or who enrol before the changes are due to come into effect from term two next year have every right to stay at the school.
He said changes to the area meant there will be a lot more students, including a large area at Hobsonville Point that had been rezoned from industrial to housing.
The master-planned former Defence Force base Hobsonville Point in northwest Auckland is planned to have 4500 homes for 11,000 residents by 2024. So far, 2300 homes have been built and more than one home a day is being built.
A new primary school costing $23 million is being built at Scott Pt in Hobsonville to cater for 650 pupils. it is due to open in January next year.
Katrina Casey, a deputy secretary at the Ministry of Education, said Hobsonville is experiencing significant growth that is putting the school roll under pressure. The enrolment scheme no longer meets the needs of the school and needs amending, she said.
Casey said the zone for the new school at Scott Point is proposed to be extended close to Hobsonville Point Primary School to reduce the schools roll pressure.
"All students are entitled to attend a reasonably convenient school, but this does not always mean they will be able to attend a school that is their closest.
"Decisions on zone boundaries are affected by a number of factors, not just distance. In this case, the zone amendments being proposed will only affect new enrolments," Casey said.
She said when considering a new enrolment scheme, or changes to an existing one, the ministry must balance the community's expectations of access to any particular school with the impact that the zone may have on neighbouring schools and to make best use of the existing school networks.
Birch said the school and board of trustees feel for parents, but stressed the zone is just a proposal and encouraged parents to make a submission.
"We want this to be positive, not negative. This isn't about complaining. This is about being proactive and looking for solutions because we are over-crowded," he said.
Consultation on the plan went out on Monday and closes on March 6.
