The Ministry of Education is pushing ahead in its search for a new school site near Ladies Mile, despite the Queenstown Lakes District Council declining consents for two housing developments in the area. The ministry is progressing its bid to build a new school in the area because of the growing rolls at existing schools. Education Minister Chris Hipkins officially approved the establishment of a new 400-pupil school near the Hanley’s Farm development last week. It was hoped the year 1–8 primary school, to be known as Hanley’s Farm Primary School, would take some of the pressure off other Queenstown schools, where rolls were already stretched to their limits. Recently, Shotover Primary School principal Ben Witheford said his school’s present capacity was 650 pupils, but that would rise to 900 once a new building was completed.

Source: Otago Daily Times December 25, 2019 15:33 UTC