Redcliffs School move will go ahead

A plan to relocate Redcliffs School to a new site in Redcliffs Park will be fast tracked through special changes to the Christchurch District Plan.

Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Megan Woods announced today the relocation would go ahead and the process would be sped up to benefit the local community.

Redcliffs Park will become home to Redcliffs School.

Changes to the District Plan would be fast-tracked to allow the school to be relocated to Redcliffs park, with the existing school site to be turned into a public park.

This is in line with the proposal put up by Regenerate Christchurch.

“The Redcliffs community has made it very clear they want to see their school on a permanent site as quickly as possible and that is what today’s decision delivers,” Dr Woods said.

“It means the Redcliffs community will once again be served by both a local school and a local park.”

Dr Woods said public submissions had made clear to her that the community needed certainty and a school on a permanent site as quickly as possible.

More than 60 per cent of the 353 submissions received on the proposal were in favour.

“In making today’s decision I have decided to use my Greater Christchurch Regeneration Act powers under section 71 to fast track district plan changes. This is the first time these powers have been used.

“I am confident that relocating the school and establishing a new park is the right decision to help the Redcliffs community move forward.”

Regenerate Christchurch Chief Executive Ivan Iafeta welcomed the decision saying schools are core elements of communities. "In Redcliffs we saw an opportunity to use the legislation to support the community's commitment to having a school in its area again."

Due to rock falls caused by the 2011 earthquake, Redcliffs School has been operating at a temporary location more than four kilometres from its original site.

A request by the Ministry of Education for a land swap was accepted by the Christchurch City Council after public consultation found nearly 80 per cent of those who made submissions supported the proposal. 

Mr Iafeta said a range of technical advice had been sought and Regenerate Christchurch had concluded the proposed location would be appropriate given the Education Ministry's expectation that the new buildings would be in use for about 50 years and the facilities would be designed to ensure Redcliffs Park was a "genuine long-term location for the school".