The new Cambridge primary school which was to address the town’s burgeoning population and cater for children with special needs is on hold.
The abandoned 4.026ha in Bridleways Estate which was to have been the site for a new Year 1-6 primary school. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
The Education ministry made the announcement on its website on Friday – but did not communicate with Waipā District Council or The News which had been asking questions about the project.
It follows months of confusion since the coalition government came into office.
Jocelyn Mikaere
In a statement to The News this week, central deputy secretary Jocelyn Mikaere confirmed $8 million of taxpayer money had been spent on buying the land, ground works, professional, consultation, design and council fees.
She said the ministry had to prioritise its property investment to where the need was greatest and “the catchments we’ve identified with the most urgent need are Ormiston (Auckland), Rolleston (Canterbury) and Massey Hobsonville (Auckland)”.
Roll growth construction and planning for Cambridge Middle and High schools will still go ahead.
The News revealed earlier this year there were construction delays for the 300-pupil school in the Bridleways Estate in Cambridge west despite the infrastructure being in place.
Waipā District Council had completed bus and turning bays, footpaths, crossings and landscaping at ratepayers’ cost because the government does not pay development contributions and rates. If the 4.026ha of land had been developed privately, the council would have received in the range of $3.2 million in levies.
Waipa District Council completed turning bays, lights, footpaths and landscaping for the now abandoned school in Bridleways Estate. Photo: Mary Anne Gill
District Growth and Regulatory services group manager Wayne Allan said the council was told in February the government was reviewing construction.
Wayne Allan
“But we have not received any formal notice of the project not proceeding in its entirety.”
The school – for year one to six students – has resource consent for a two-storey 1354 square metre building with 13 teaching spaces, an administration building, library, resource room, hall, four spaces for learning and behaviour specialists, a learning support unit, caretaker’s shed, hard courts, playground and fencing.
A 2024 opening was originally touted then revised to term one in 2025 because of the tight construction market and then 2026.
Taupō MP Louise Upston was asked to comment but did not respond in time for the print version.
See: Need greater elsewhere, says MP
Earlier this year she said the school would be an important asset for Cambridge to help manage the demands of a growing population and “I will be doing everything I can as local MP to advocate for its delivery”.
Bridleways is part of the council’s C2 growth cell which has consent for 2500 homes, a retirement village, water utilities and roading.
The destination playground in Bridleways Estate adjacent to the abandoned school site is nearing completion. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
A destination playground next to the school site is nearing completion. Bridleways’ marketing focuses on the estate being part of an intergenerational community.
The need for a new school in Cambridge was identified in the 2019 Budget and funding was given for planning and design of this school in the 2021 Budget.
There are four primary and three full primary contributing schools in Cambridge, including one state integrated school (St Peter’s Catholic).
Cambridge does not have a specialised learning unit. Students with special needs are either mainstreamed into existing schools or travel into Hamilton.
Publicity for the new school is still on the Bridleways Estate website
The site of Cambridge’s new primary school has been abandoned while in the background a destination playground nears completion. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
