The Ministry of Education has done an about-turn and decided Frankton's new primary school will be built on waterfront land it rejected in 2004.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes said many residents would be surprised and others shocked but he could understand the decision.
Education Minister Chris Carter announced yesterday that a school had been approved in Lake Ave, beside the Recreation Centre.
A five-person establishment board had been appointed to contribute to the design, oversee construction and appoint a principal, with the aim of opening the school in 2010. The ministry was not required to further consult the community, Mr Carter said.
‘‘The priority for the Frankton community was to get this school under way,'' he said in a statement.
Community debate has raged for years over the best site for the school, which is needed to ease pressure on the town's only state primary school, Queenstown Primary.
The ministry obtained a designation - a type of planning consent - for the Lake Ave land in 2003, but rejected the site in 2004 after concerns from some residents that a school was inappropriate on the waterfront, and its own concerns the site was too small.
An alternative site in Joe O'Connor Pl, near the Queenstown Events Centre and Queenstown Airport, was rejected after concerns about airport noise and road traffic.
The ministry applied for a designation on a 3ha property in Grant Rd, also near Queenstown Airport, four months ago, but ran into opposition from the airport corporation and residents, who said the site would be too noisy and there were safety issues.
Mr Geddes said last night the Lake Ave site had its ‘‘challenges'' but , he could understand the ministry's decision.
‘‘I think they realised they would have had real difficulties with gaining consent on either of the other sites. They have decided to revert to the site where they already hold a designation and can meet the timeframe required for a new school.
This school is urgently needed to avoid the catastrophe of gross overcrowding at Queenstown Primary.
‘‘I am quite sure some people will feel strongly against this. They see a big piece of reserve land on the waterfront and they don't realise it has a school designation.''
It was possible the Queenstown Lakes District Council would allow the school to use the adjoining reserve land as playing fields, he said. Warren Park was shared by the public and Wakatipu High School. Discussions would also be held about whether the existing play centre on the ministry land would be relocated.
Cr Cath Gilmour, who strongly opposed the Grant Rd site, said last night that Lake Ave was the best of the three sites investigated in detail.
Mr Carter yesterday named the establishment board as company director and Frankton resident Chris Cerecke, airline ramp manager and local iwi representative Darren Rewi, dentist and former Frankton kindergarten president Judy Sim, company manager and current kindergarten president John Stalker and company director Roy Thompson.
Mr Cerecke said the board ‘‘certainly had a lot to get on with, and think about'', but it was not appropriate for him to make comment before the board's first meeting, which had yet to be scheduled.
Mr Rewi anticipated a strong reaction to the chosen site. - Allison Rudd and Sam Stevens
