An outline plan for the proposed $14 million Shotover Primary School was lodged by the Ministry of Education with the Queenstown Lakes District Council this week after designation was approved last year.
The council will study the application and make a recommendation, which the ministry can accept or not.
The plan further explains the proposal for the years 1 to 8 school on 3.5ha of land at the heart of the 120ha Shotover Country development near Queenstown.
Architectural plans show one large detached main ''learning community'' block, an L-shaped block for both ''learning community'' and administration and a third building as a multi-purpose hall. Extra land is earmarked for stage two and future use.
The three blocks face lawns, landscaped areas, playing structures, sand pits, hard surface courts, sun shades and a bicycle shed. A car park and bus bay is off Stalker Rd and a ''kiss and drop'' lane off Jones Rd.
The orientation of the buildings and playing fields will make the most of the sun, and be set at least 3m back from roads. Buildings, of up to 12m in height, will be made from regionally sourced stacked schist, orange, yellow and red painted weatherboards, unpainted cedar, sand and grey corrugated iron roofing and honed concrete blocks.
Soil exposed due to earthworks will be revegetated within 12 months of construction finishing.
The school will be insulated from aircraft noise and its exterior lights will be capped and directed downwards.
Establishment board of trustees chairwoman Sally Mingaye-Hall said the first sod of construction could be turned ''in the next couple of months.''
Shotover Primary School was going to become ''the jewel in the crown'' in 21st-century education, she said.
''I believe it will draw an amazing amount of interest and comment from other regions, not only within New Zealand, but further afield.''
