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The future of Westmount School students in Maungaturoto is unclear, following a discovery that the school is breaching its resource consent.
The privately-run Brethren school caters for students between Warkworth and Dargaville, and is managed by a trust.
It currently has 210 students on its roll, but is only allowed a maximum of 150.
Regional principal for the northern region Chris Gregory says the issue only became apparent when the resource consent was reviewed after the school lodged an application to do renovation work.
The school has now made a publicly notified resource consent application to increase the school roll to 225, but has faced opposition from 14 residents on the same road.
Submitting as the Whaka Street Residents Group, the residents have put forward concerns about increased traffic volumes and the school’s ability to follow future consent conditions.
Consequently, the application will go to an independent commissioner’s hearing later this year.
“We don’t believe traffic will be an issue as many of the students arrive together in vans,” Mr Gregory says.
“We don’t want to be an illegal operation, so we are keen to rectify this consent issue and will work closely with Council and residents during the process.”
Kaipara District Council supports the resource consent application process as a solution to the non-compliance, but is unsure of the next step if the commissioners reject it.
“This is a unique situation in terms of a maximum roll breach so the future of the students and school is unclear at this stage if the school can’t become complying,” a Council spokesperson says.
The New Zealand Transport Agency has approved the consent with the stipulation that within 12 months a turning bay into Whaka Street, off State Highway 12, is created.
A hearing date had not been confirmed when Mahurangi Matters went to print.
