KEY POINTS:
Four more primary schools are proposed for West Auckland to cope with the growing population.
Extra schools are planned in Hobsonville and Westgate and two in the Kumeu and Huapai area. Education Minister Steve Maharey yesterday announced that consultation on the plan would start in July.
He said the proposal was in response to an estimated population growth of 16,000 - including 2000 students - in the next 15 years.
Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey said the projected boom in West Aucklanders was conservative.
"I think it's going to be high growth, high future," said Mr Harvey.
He said the Ministry of Education had accurately identified areas of expansion.
Mr Harvey said the Hobsonville school was expected to be integrated into the housing and light industry development at the former airbase.
The Westgate school was likely to be opposite the shopping centre, he said.
But Hobsonville Primary School principal Margaret Doherty said property was so expensive the area was seeing a drop in the number of primary school-aged students.
The demand would depend on how land was developed, she said.
Mrs Doherty said her school was straining at the seams until three years ago when a zone was introduced.
Numbers since had dropped from about 700 to a more manageable 600.
Parents were crying out for a high school, she said, rather than another primary school.
The closest high school was Massey High School, about 6km away, and many past pupils travelled about 15km to Westlake Boys and Westlake Girls on the North Shore, she said.
Mr Maharey said the proposal for four additional schools for Year 1 to 8 pupils was not set in stone.
"Whatever decisions are eventually made, we will ensure that the new schools add to and work with the existing schools in the area," he said.
A group with community representatives would guide the planning.
