Tane Larsen, head prefect for Tauranga Boys' College, in front of the new site of classrooms being built. Photo / Mead Norton
More than $20 million of building consents have been approved for new classrooms and school build projects at two of Tauranga's largest colleges.
Tauranga City Council's latest building consent statistics show a consent valued at $15m has been issued for the construction of new classrooms at Pāpāmoa College.
Two consents valued at $1.7m and $6m have also been issued for a new two-storey, 12-classroom block on Tauranga Boys' College's current staff carpark and an extension of its existing car park.
Pāpāmoa College acting principal Pere Durie said the consent was for a new admin block, student hauora, learning blocks, wharenui, library, technology centre, and a second gym.
Technology classes would also be refurbished.
"It is really exciting."
As part of a separate project, the school was building new modular classrooms to cater for about 300 students. The three new modular classrooms would replace the old pre-fab classrooms.
The new modular classrooms were to help cater for roll growth within the school, Durie said.
The school's roll had grown to 1700 students and the Ministry of Education projected the school would grow to about 2000 in the coming years.
"The modular classrooms have helped because we were bursting at the seams."
Durie said the school was working with Ngā Pōtiki to rename the new buildings to connect the school with its history.
For example, one of the new modular buildings has been named Te Rau Whariki in relation to the land that was once used to trade harakeke (flax).
Durie said it had been challenging trying to coordinate a building project during school time but it had processes in place to keep the students and staff safe.
It took 100 trucks moving in and out of school grounds to remove a dirt mound for the new modular classrooms, he said.
The school's director of property and development, Nathan Rillstone, said the school project was going to add another 8000sq m of space to the school's site in the next two and a half years.
Rillstone said each foundation of the new school modular classrooms took 500 tonnes of concrete, which was the equivalent of 90 concrete trucks each.
Tauranga Boys' College principal Robert Mangan said it was building a two-storey, 12-classroom block on the site of the current staff carpark.
Mangan said the money was allocated in 2017 but Covid and "a few takes" at the planning and design stage had delayed the project until now.
"It has been a long time coming. But it will be a welcome addition..."
He said the classrooms were needed to cater for the growing school roll, which had grown from about 1800 students in 2017 to 2100
now.
The staff car park would be demolished to make way for the new building.
The current car park beside the cricket nets will be extended to allow for 130 parking spaces.
Mangan said it had not yet been decided if the classrooms would be specialised classrooms or general classroom spaces.
He said the school currently has nine relocatable or "pre-fab" classrooms on the school's front lawn which were originally there to help while remedial work was being done to other school buildings.
"But they have been filled with the roll growth."
The nine relocatable classrooms would be replaced with the new 12-classroom building and have an extra three classrooms to help with roll growth.
"We have not had any surplus classrooms."
The 12 classrooms were needed "urgently".
The new classroom block will be a modernised and flexible learning space.
"The roll growth of the school means they are essential. I believe students respond better to the environment they are learning in.
"Having teaching space is crucial."
Mangan said demolition of the staff carpark had started and the site had been blessed. He hoped the new classroom block will be completed within 12 months.
Tauranga Boys' College head prefect Tane Larsen thought the new classrooms would directly benefit the students.
"Boys learn better in new classrooms."
Ministry of Education's leader of infrastructure and digital Scott Evans confirmed a new 12-teaching space was being built at Tauranga Boys' College to meet roll growth requirements and replace some temporary classrooms.
"The new two-storey building will be constructed on the Devonport Rd corner of the school on the existing car park.
"The car park will be extended, and stormwater improvements will be made to mitigate flooding on the school's lower playing fields."
Evans said building work started early this month and was expected to be completed in mid-2023.
Construction had also begun on two roll-growth prompted teaching blocks at Pāpāmoa College, which will provide the school with 18 new teaching spaces, administration space and a library.
Evans said this was the first stage of a project that, when complete, will also deliver new technology and administration blocks, a gym and wharenui.
The two roll growth teaching blocks were expected to be completed in mid-2023 with the overall project expected to be completed in 2025.
"To accommodate the increase in students while the new buildings are being constructed, temporary accommodation is being provided on-site..."
24 Te Kakau Pl
Earthworks to platforms - Construction of road layer works and sealing - Stormwater, wastewater drainage, water - Fencing and area lighting - Utility connection for power
$3,000,000
305A Oceanbeach Rd
Construct two-level, 3 bedroom dwelling with attached double garage.
$1,900,000
151 Doncaster Drive
Stage 1 - Construction of new classrooms blocks 4-6
$15,000,000
40 May St
Erect three-storey, four-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage and three-storey, three-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage (duplex)
$1,500,000
18 Toronia Court
Construct single level, four-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage and pool fencing.
$1,200,000
55 Kaweroa Dr
Two tenancy industrial building with warehouse and double-storey office spaces. Precast concrete, timber frame and steel construction.
$2,000,000
647L Moffat Rd
New tertiary institute building
$1,000,000
5 Cheese Factory Lane
Erect 10 two-storey, three-bedroom dwellings with attached single garage and carport (Units 11-20, Stage 3A)
$3,500,000
103 Taitimu Rd
Construct a new 16500m warehouse and attached 2 story office building. Stage 1: foundations, floor slabs, precast concrete panels and site civil work
$16,000,000
1 Waimanu Lane
Construct single level six-bedroom dwelling with attached triple garage
$1,223,550
2 Devonport Rd
This consent and supporting documents describe the Design intent (Structural and Geotechnical consultant designs only), for the proposed bored concrete piles on No 2 Devonport Rd.
$2,000,000
728 Cameron Rd
The proposed works cover the extension of the existing car park at Tauranga Boys' College (accessed from the Devonport Rd entrance) and associated stormwater works.
$1,700,000
664 Cameron Rd
Tauranga Boys' College - The demolition of an existing on-grade car park and the construction of a new two-storey classroom block and landscaped courtyard spaces.
$6,000,000
1 Te Auhi Way
Erect single-level four-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage and single-level two-bedroom dwelling.
$1,000,000
90 Grace Rd
Construct two-level, four-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage and two-level, four-bedroom dwelling with attached double garage (Duplex).
$2,114,000
422 Devonport Rd
Erect 8 two-storey, two-bedroom dwellings. 2 x standalone units and 1x building of 6 units
$2,000,000
Source: Tauranga City Council
A disregard for authority could be why those attending court are thumbing their noses.