Education Minister Trevor Mallard today announced that the Ministry of Education has secured a site for a possible new primary school in the Waimauku area.

The site, located in Taha Road, Waimauku, is 4.06 hectares and was selected following a process which identified it as the most suitable site for a future primary school," said the Minister. "There is also sufficient land available on the site for and early childhood education centre as well."

A tentative opening date for the proposed school is 2005, but this will be subject to population growth and consultation with adjacent schools. The decision to establish a school is a separate decision to the purchase of the land and will be made following consultation with the local schools likely to be affected – in this case Waimauku School, Huapai School and Woodhill School.

"There is population growth in the area and the pressure on local schools, especially Waimauku, is growing, so securing the land now is a sensible planning option for the Government," Trevor Mallard said

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