Teacher's house build to start

Construction of the first of two Wanaka Primary School teacher's residences is expected to start in the next couple of weeks after the demolition of the former teacher's residence yesterday.

It took digger driver Jeremy Blackler just a few hours in the morning to bring down the three-bedroom home, which had stood on the Roche St site since the late 1970s.

Demolishing the house "wasn't difficult" and the remaining concrete slab and garage would be removed on Monday, he said.

The former teacher's residence had been unoccupied for some time as it had not been fit for purpose.

Wanaka Primary School board chairman Andrew (Howie) Howard said board members were "very excited" the teacher's house project was finally under way and praised Maungatua Contracting owner and school parent Kane Duncan for helping the school with this first step.

Plans for the new house have been lodged with the Queenstown Lakes District Council and site preparation work was due to start very soon.

Mr Howard said the school intended to build a second four-bedroom home on the Roche St site. The first house should be finished by December and ready for occupation in the new year.