The Ministry of Education is staying tight lipped about its search for land for a new high school in Queenstown.
Rawiri Brell, deputy secretary for early childhood and regional education, confirmed the ministry was undertaking a site selection process for a secondary school in the wider Queenstown area but added "it would not be appropriate to comment on details of that process while discussions are ongoing".
"Any decision on an opening date for a new secondary school will be determined by projected population growth of secondary-aged students," Mr Brell said.
Davie Lovell-Smith associate Mark Brown confirmed the Christchurch consultancy group was part of the search for land for a new high school, but referred comment to the ministry.
Last week, at the opening of the new $17.3 million Remarkables Primary School, in Frankton, Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes said the ministry was looking at a range of sites for a high school, but was concentrating on Frankton Flats.
Remarkables Primary is built on the only ministry-owned land on the flats.
The ministry was in the process of identifying and securing land for a new high school, and possibly a new primary school, in three to five years, Mr Geddes said.
"Any of the land outside the [Queenstown Airport] noise boundary is suitable.
"Council has its land [on Frankton Flats] fully committed for sports and recreation, so it's hard to see how we could help."
Mr Geddes said he was expecting a report and an announcement from the ministry in three months.
Last September, Education Minister Anne Tolley announced the Government had decided "in principle" to build a new primary school between Queenstown and Arrowtown, and it would open about 2021.
Wakatipu High School may also move to a new site, she said.
