To the Honourable Minister of Education,
The Communities & Residents team for Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa respectfully submits this urgent proposal regarding an exceptional opportunity to address Auckland's secondary school capacity crisis through the strategic acquisition of the former University of Auckland Epsom Campus.
As representatives committed to fiscal responsibility and practical solutions, we believe this represents the most cost-effective and immediate response to our community's educational needs. With Auckland's student population growing at 1.4% annually—outpacing the national rate of 1.2% - and local schools operating beyond capacity, decisive action is needed now.
The University of Auckland completed its relocation from the Epsom Campus to the City Campus in 2024, leaving this historic 11-hectare site at 72 Epsom Avenue vacant and available for redevelopment. This property, valued at over $125 million, contains existing educational infrastructure that could be rapidly converted to secondary school use—delivering value for taxpayers while addressing urgent community needs.
The campus includes purpose-built classrooms, lecture theatres, a library, specialised facilities, and the culturally significant Tūtahi Tonu marae. Converting these existing facilities would cost a fraction of building new schools from scratch, demonstrating the fiscal discipline our communities expect from government spending.
Auckland's education infrastructure is at breaking point:
Our local families are crying out for a solution. Parents in Mt Eden, Epsom, and surrounding suburbs face impossible choices as their children approach secondary school age, with limited options and overflowing classrooms becoming the norm rather than the exception.
The Epsom Campus has served New Zealand education for nearly a century. Established as Auckland Training College in 1926, it trained generations of teachers who shaped our nation's future. During World War II, parts of the site served as military headquarters, including an underground bunker that remains today. The striking hall completed in 1937 and other heritage buildings represent decades of public investment in education.
This legacy makes the site ideally suited for continued educational use. Repurposing it as a secondary school would honour its history while serving modern needs - transforming a teacher training institution into a place where the next generation of New Zealanders can learn and thrive.
The site holds deep significance for Tāmaki Māori, sitting on land settled in the 13th or 14th centuries and overlaying a "disappeared maunga" (volcanic hill). The Tūtahi Tonu wharenui and marae served Māori students for over 40 years, embodying indigenous knowledge and providing crucial cultural connections.
A Ministry-led acquisition could:
This approach aligns with Treaty obligations while delivering practical benefits to all Auckland families.
Time is critical. Without Ministry intervention, this prime educational asset faces likely conversion to residential development. Current discussions indicate strong developer interest, with proposals for intensive housing that would:
Every month of delay increases the risk that private interests will secure this site, forcing the government to build new schools at far greater expense elsewhere.
Acquiring the Epsom Campus represents exceptional value for money:
This investment would demonstrate that government can act swiftly and sensibly when communities need leadership. It would show fiscal responsibility by leveraging existing assets rather than building from scratch.
We urge the Ministry of Education to:
The Epsom Campus is not just vacant land - it's a ready-made solution to Auckland's education crisis. We implore the Ministry to secure this site, creating a secondary school that honours our heritage, addresses growth pressures, preserves cultural taonga, and delivers value for taxpayers.
This investment will yield benefits for decades, reducing overcrowding, enhancing educational equity, and demonstrating that government can deliver practical solutions when communities need them most.
We stand ready to support this initiative and mobilise community backing for what could be a transformational moment for Auckland education.
Respectfully submitted,
[Signature]
Mark Pervan, Candidate for Auckland Council Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Ward Communities & Residents
