# Four more school redevelopments get the green light

Date: 8 Oct 2026
Released by: Hon Erica Stanford

## MediaRelease.co Summary

Four schools will share another $37 million for redevelopment, pushing this year's approved school upgrade package past $200 million. Education Minister Erica Stanford framed the spend as catching up on ageing classrooms and adding places where rolls are rising. Projects were chosen through the Ministry of Education's redevelopment programme.

## Original release

The Government is investing a further $37 million to redevelop four schools, taking investment in school redevelopment projects approved this year to more than $200 million, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “When we came into Government, school property was a mess. Around 350 projects could not be delivered within the funding available, schools had been waiting years for certainty, and classrooms were costing around $1.2 million each. “We said we would fix it, and that is exactly what we have been doing. “We changed the way we build, using simpler, repeatable designs and offsite manufacturing. Most new classrooms now cost less than $650,000 and more than $330 million in savings has been reinvested back into school property. “Today, four more school communities are getting certainty.” The projects are: - Lynfield College, Auckland: a new administration block. - Whenuapai School, Auckland: 10 replacement classrooms, a library and resource space. - Tawa College, Wellington: upgrades to classroom block interiors. - Māruawai College, Gore: 14 replacement classrooms as Stage 2 of the school’s redevelopment. Work on the four projects will begin within the next 12 months. “Across three Budgets we have invested around $2.7 billion in school property, fully funded nearly 1,600 additional classrooms and learning spaces, and increased maintenance funding by $880 million. “That is what making every dollar go further looks like – more classrooms, better maintenance and greater certainty for schools.” Supporting Kōhanga Reo The Government is also making up to $3 million available to ease property pressures and expand capacity at Kōhanga Reo. Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust and the Ministry of Education will work together to identify where the investment can have the greatest impact. “Demand for immersion education is growing and parents should have choice. If they choose Kōhanga Reo for their child, we want to make sure there is space available. “We inherited a school property system that was not delivering. We have changed the way it works, driven down costs and reinvested the savings. Now we are getting school property back on track and getting on with delivering what schools and communities need.”

## Key details

- Author/spokesperson: Hon Erica Stanford
- Published: 8 Oct 2026
- Publisher country: New Zealand
- Subject country/region: New Zealand
- Original source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/four-more-school-redevelopments-get-green-light
- MediaRelease.co URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01502-four-more-school-redevelopments-get-the-green-light-08102026.html

Original source: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/four-more-school-redevelopments-get-green-light
MediaRelease.co canonical URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01502-four-more-school-redevelopments-get-the-green-light-08102026.html