Independent co-ed initially blocked by ARC about to open in Henderson

A private school will open in February in the former Waitakere City Council building in Henderson.

The school, Sunderland College, was to have been built in rural Whenuapai, but opposition by the Auckland Regional Council forced the promoters to seek an alternative site.

Sunderland chairman Alex Findlay said the co-ed school in Waipareira Ave will open for students from year 1 to year 9.

"It will grow incrementally to offer year 13 in 2011," he said.

Research for the Whenuapai proposal showed 800 parents were keen to enrol their children.

"There is a real need for independent schooling in West Auckland and we expect high demand for what will be a limited number of places next year," said Mr Findlay.

Student interviews would begin next month.

The building is set in 2.8ha and would be converted to allow for 600 students. A planned expansion would allow a roll of 1000.

Mayor Bob Harvey said the school would fill a hole in the market. "The west has moved socio-economically."

"We've worked hard to stop our kids being bussed out and taxied elsewhere to perceivably better schools, which I don't believe, but there is a feeling that some of our secondary schools cannot provide the kind of education some people want."

Sunderland has a long-term lease from Quadrant Properties, the new owners of the building, which was built 23 years ago for the council.

Mr Findlay said Sunderland was negotiating access for students to use Waitakere City Council and Trusts Stadium community sporting facilities. The building's zoning meant it could be open for students in February. Sunderland's bid for resource consent at Whenuapai was blocked by ARC planners because it would be development outside the metropolitan urban limit. "We could see the process taking years through the courts with no guarantee of success."

Sunderland's promoters are co-founders of the independents Strathallan Campus at Karaka, Wentworth College, Gulf Harbour, and Beaumont College, which will open near Taupo next year.