Combined Colleges cancelled

A multi-million dollar plan ten years in the making to co-locate Marlborough Boys’ and Girls’ Colleges and relocate Bohally Intermediate School has been scrapped today.

After a visit today from Minister of Education, Erica Stanford, and Secretary for Education, Iona Holsted, the Te Tātoru o Wairau Combined Colleges project has now officially been ended.

Since the project’s pause in December, the Ministry of Education has had the project under review about cost reductions for a co-located campus for Marlborough Boys’ and Girls’ Colleges, and the subsequent relocation of Bohally Intermediate School to College Park.

However, after a major cost blowout from the original $170m budget to an estimated $400m, the plug has now officially been pulled alongside a variety of other education upgrades across New Zealand.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said it was concerning to find that the project was nearly $200 million more than originally forecast and that funding had not been secured.

“Now we must ensure we can deliver fit for purpose schools for Marlborough that achieve excellent education outcomes for their students. It’s a relief that we have been able to find a way forward for the schools, iwi and wider community so that the necessary work can get underway as soon as possible.”

All three impacted schools will now embark on an examination of their current needs for upgrades on existing campuses over the next few weeks.

The confirmed cancellation of the project coincides with stage one of the project, a new hockey turf and pavilion at Marlborough Girls’ College, nears completion.

In a letter to parents on Friday, Bohally Intermediate School principal Nicky Cameron-Dunn said both they and the Colleges’ were now working alongside the Ministry of Education around addressing immediate property needs on existing campuses.

“While the end of the co-location project is disappointing, we have made significant progress in improving how we work together across our schools and with iwi to deliver better educational outcomes for the whole community”, said Nicky.

“A new campus would have been an amazing asset, however, we’re focusing on continuing to deliver an excellent education for our students into the future.

“The Board and I are looking forward to getting construction underway quickly on our priority property needs”.

Marlborough Boys’ College Principal/Tumuaki, John Kendal, said that while the scope of the project had changed, the kura remained committed to ensuring it had improved facilities that benefitted the community into the future.

“We have great staff and will continue to deliver high quality education in Wairau,” Matua Kendal said.

Marlborough Girls’ College Chair, Brian Roughan, said “We are disappointed that the co-location is no longer going ahead, but will keep working together with the boys’ college, Bohally and iwi to provide the best outcome for Marlborough students.”

Girls’ College Principal, Mary-Jeanne Lynch, said the school will work with the Ministry to improve its facilities for the future.

“We continue to offer excellent education for young women in Marlborough, and be a kura where everyone belongs and can achieve,” Ms Lynch said.

Iwi spokesperson, Michelle Lavender, said that iwi was disappointed that many of the benefits of co-location will not be achieved, however the cultural narrative that was developed as part of the project articulated a pathway to achieve better education outcomes for ākonga in Wairau and will continue to be valuable going forward.

Minister Stanford and Secretary Holsted acknowledged that this decision would be disappointing for the community and thanked everybody for the time and energy they have contributed to the project.