Arrowtown resident Lisa Guy, the Queenstown contact for the project, said yesterday the proponents of the school - Wentworth College principal Bruce Tong and Wentworth College Property director Stephen Fleming - were working "as quickly as they can" on the project, but "it will just take time".
Earlier this year, the group called for registrations of people with children in years 7-9 whose parents were "committed" to sending their children to the school.
Mrs Guy said the trio was now satisfied the numbers were there to support the school.
"People are hanging out for it.
Numbers are steadily growing ...
every few days I get a call ... from another person who would come and buy a house here if there was an independent school.
"All of that insecurity [about having enough potential pupils to support the school] is totally gone.
"It's just it will take time to happen."
The independent school proposal would see funding come entirely from investors and fees paid by parents - which could be about $10,000 per year for a primary school pupil and $15,000 per year for a secondary school pupil.
Fees would help to pay teachers' salaries and assist with the running of the school.
Mrs Guy said Mr Tong and Mr Fleming were "in negotiations with land holders" over a site.
When asked if the group had a preferred site for the school, Mrs Guy said she could not comment.
In March, the Otago Daily Times reported potential sites including land at Jacks Point, near Millbrook, behind Queenstown Airport and near Coronet Peak Station.
Mrs Guy said the next meeting in Queenstown would not occur until some progress had been made on a site.
"That could be any day, or it could be months. They are in good negotiations with people."
Mr Tong said yesterday the next step would be to secure a site and then it was a matter of going through the consent process and investment on infrastructure.
"At the moment, we're just ...working with some people and waiting to hear."
The group hoped the school could open between 2014 and 2016, Mrs Guy said.
