It says Auckland\u2019s city centre is New Zealand\u2019s \u201cbiggest employment zone, largest public transport hub, largest visitor destination and most important business district\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the city centre residential population has stagnated. It is still plagued with fragmented decision-making, dispersed office accommodation and restrictive rules, like unreasonable fire regulations that make it impossible to build.<\/p>\n
Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown wants 100,000 more residents living in the city centre.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lack of schools within a walkable catchment of the city centre is a significant barrier to grow the residential population, particularly for families with school-age children. While the city centre offers strong access to tertiary employment, education, public transport and cultural amenities, the limited availability of schools nearby can make city centre living less attractive for families seeking convenient access to everyday services.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brown suggested two possible options for a school \u2013 the former police station on Vincent St, or the site of the now-closed Kadimah School on Grey\u2019s Ave.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re going to have a lot of kids living in the city, they\u2019ve got to go to school,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn cities, in Paris, people live in the city and they go to school. They don\u2019t have to have fields and everything, they just have their schools.\u201d<\/p>\n
Up to 100,000 more people could be living in the city if the settings were right, Brown believed.<\/p>\n
He said he\u2019d like to work with the Education Ministry on issues such as opening up green spaces and amenities like pools.<\/p>\n
Crucially, he wanted work on city centre amenities to be led by council, not the Government.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Education director Auckland integration Te Mahau | Education Service, Leisa Maddix, said there were no current plans to establish a new state primary school in central Auckland.<\/p>\n
However, one may be needed in the future to cater for population growth and urban intensification, alongside three schools that currently provide primary education for central Auckland families.<\/p>\n
The ministry regularly reviewed population projections, residential development activity and enrolment demand to determine the most appropriate response. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis can include adjusting enrolment schemes, managing out-of-zone enrolments, adding teaching spaces, increasing capacity at state-integrated schools, or, where required, establishing new schools.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew schools are considered only when network planning indicates that existing local infrastructure can no longer be optimised to meet current and future demand. We will continue to monitor growth and enrolment pressures in central Auckland and assess what investment may be needed to ensure all students can access a local school.\u201d<\/p>\n
In September, RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop announced sweeping new proposals<\/a> to allow buildings of unlimited height in the heart of Auckland.<\/p>\n At the time, he acknowledged governments needed to be better at planning for schools and other infrastructure when increasing housing density.<\/p>\n