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Twelve years after its original site was damaged in the Christchurch earthquakes Marian College will move to a new permanent home in 2023.
The College will be rebuilt on a 3-hectare site in the Christchurch suburb of Papanui.
The first students at the state-integrated school for girls are expected to start at the new $20 million facility in February 2023.
Catholic Bishop of Christchurch Paul Martin says finding a new home for the school had always been one of his main priorities.
The plans for the Catholic college, which has a maximum roll of 430, were designed by Christchurch architects Sheppard and Rout.
Sustainability is at the forefront of its design. It will be built within the former Foodstuffs warehouse that currently exists onsite.
Davidson says the innovative and exciting plans have been ‘worth the wait’.
“In moving to Papanui, we join our brother school St Bede’s College, and St Joseph’s Primary, and the Christchurch North Parish to become a Catholic hub and we look forward to working together in the coming years.
“While we never expected to be at our current site for ten years, it has been a blessing in disguise in that we’ve been able to really consider how we want to teach and learn in the future and what spaces are essential at our new school,” Davidson says.
Marian College board of trustees chairwoman Jan Paterson said the new site, next to St Joseph’s Primary School, would give the school plenty of room for growth and was close to St Bede’s College, “offering potential for sharing and collaboration.”
“Thank you also to our school community for your loyalty and patience, and to all the schools, individuals, businesses and communities who have supported Marian since the earthquakes. It means a lot to us.”
Marian College had to move from its original site after the 2011 earthquakes.
Covering 17,737 square metres in two titles, the Christchurch the Catholic Diocese is selling the site for development.
Marian College was founded on the site in 1982 after a merger between two Catholic secondary schools for girls, St Mary’s College and McKillop College.
Marian then relocated to temporary premises after the earthquakes.
Hamish Doig, who in conjunction with Will Franks is selling the property, says the land sale will help fund the school’s rebuild.
“We’ve never seen as much pressure for residential land as we have at the moment with multiple bids on all available land that we’re taking to the market.
“Developers are typically selling all their assets from the plans before beginning construction, putting them in a very strong position for acquiring more.”
A transport plan will be designed so students from more than 30 feeder primary schools can get to the new school easily.
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