‘Unstable’ land cited as reason for delay in school rebuild

Ellesmere College has been shocked by the Minister of Education’s response to their delayed rebuild.

In May, the college learned the original $30 million upgrade had ballooned to nearly $63 million and would now come in a staged project, which would not be completed until at least 2028.

The upgrade was for two learning hubs (35 classrooms), a new auditorium, library and an administration block.

Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg asked Education Minster Jan Tinetti in Parliament why the school’s upgrade had been delayed.

In response Tinetti said: “Ellesmere College is sitting on some land that is unstable that was unknown about at the time and having said that this is my understanding of what I have been told and therefore the costs have ballooned.”  

Ellesmere principal Ronan Bass said Tinetti’s answer “came as quite a shock”.

“It was the first time that the word ‘unstable’ has ever been used,” Bass said.

Bass did not believe the ground was unstable.

“Our buildings have been sitting there for 40 years so we would be well aware if the ground is unstable or not.

“What we are aware of is that there is excess groundwater . . . that is one of the holdups, we have always known the water table in the area is really high.

“We did make the ministry well aware of this from day one that it could be a potential issue.”

The Selwyn Times asked Tinetti to elaborate on her response, but she did not provide specific details.

“I am advised the development at Ellesmere College – Te Kareti o Waihora has some additional land and infrastructure complexities that need to be managed,” she said.

Tinetti also pointed to rising construction costs affecting the project.

When the upgrades were announced in 2019, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, then the Minister of Education, acknowledged the reasons for Ellesmere’s rebuild.

“All but two of the school’s buildings are temporary relocatable classrooms and have experienced significant wear and tear. That’s not good enough and we are fixing it,” Hipkins said at the time.

Bass said since the delay was announced in May, the ministry has released some funds to provide some interim maintenance.

“Over the past five years we haven’t been able to spend any money on the upgrade of any school buildings and so they have deteriorated over that time.

“We have forced the ministry to allow us to spend some money on the buildings because it is unfair for staff and students  who are currently at the school to be working in subpar buildings.”

Upgrades include a new coat of paint on buildings.