Progress for first private school

A private school catering for up to 800 students could take shape on the outskirts of Whangarei as early as next year.
The Selcowyn Trust has applied for a resource consent to build Huanui College on one of the five lots beside Ngunguru Rd, Glenbervie.
The school will initially cater for up to 200 junior grade students and later extend to Year 13 with a roll of 800 spread over 29 classrooms.
It will have a pool, gymnasium and a rugby, cricket, hockey and soccer pitch, an athletics track and tennis and netball courts.
The only other private school in Northland is Springbank College in Kerikeri.
Some Ngunguru Rd residents have submitted letters of support to the Whangarei District Council, which last week called for public submissions on the plan.
Selcowyn Trust director Evan Hamlet said Huanui College would be an affordable alternative to Auckland private schools.
"There are a number of local kids who go to private schools in Auckland who should be given an opportunity to attend such schools in Whangarei," he said.
"This will be the only non-religious private school in Whangarei."
He said the trust would own the land but the school would be managed by a company already managing schools in Auckland.
An initial budget of $10 million had been set aside. He would go public later with the total cost and initial source of funds, but long-term most of the money was expected to come from donations.
There are no immediate plans for boarding facilities on site.
Mr Hamlet was encouraging Northland businesses and iwi to sponsor students, in fields such as architecture, engineering or sport, who could work for their sponsors after graduating.
He said talks were under way to attract teachers and coaches and arrange sports facilities.
An engineering report states the school would generate about 860 traffic movements in 24 hours, the effects of which would be "less than minor".
About 20m of stone wall would be removed but rebuilt around the school entrance.
But some Glenbervie residents have raised concerns.
Don Nightingale, whose son was killed while walking to school on Ngunguru Rd 12 years ago, wasn't opposed to a new school but said more planning was needed.
He said the extra traffic each day would add to an already busy and dangerous Ngunguru Rd, and the speed limit needed to be lowered - which would also benefit the nearby Glenbervie School. He wanted the limit dropped from the current 100km/h to 50km/h between the bridge near Whangarei Falls, to past the new college.
Classes are expected to start in 2010, if all goes to plan. Public submissions close on October 22 and can be sent to mailroom@wdc.govt.nz or faxed to (09) 438 7632.