More than half of Otumoetai College classrooms are set to be demolished and re-modernised in a multi-million dollar overhaul to fix five leaky buildings.

Principal Dave Randall says the English, science, maths, social studies and H block will be replaced instead of repaired, affecting about 70 per cent of the school.

Otumoetai College principal Dave Randall in front of the leaky buildings. Photo by: Tracy Hardy.

'The biggest problem we're facing is this school was built for 1200 students, it's now 2000. At the moment it looks as though we're going to have 54 classes affected.”

Dave says the ministry invested $11 million in the school for construction of new buildings about 14 years ago and those new or renovated buildings are now all leaky.

The rebuild will be funded by the ministry, says Dave, who is unsure of the exact cost and when the restructure will begin. He hopes to have builders on school grounds by 2015 and expects the build will take up to five years.

Dave says the school, originally built about 50 years ago, has spent more than five years trying to repair the buildings suffering weather tightness issues.

'It's a question of: do you spend thousands of dollars trying to fix it or do you demolish it and rebuild a modern environment?”

Another reason to completely demolish the leaky buildings is the soft-soiled foundations the classroom blocks were built on.

Recladding and re-roofing of the school's technology block is also underway, with the ministry indicating minor repairs to the pavilion, gymnasium, library and drama block.

Dave says the technology block cost $1.27 million to build in 1999 and will cost $1.4 million to fix the roof and external cladding.

During his sabbatical last term, Dave visited 15 schools nationwide to gather concept ideas for the remodel of the school.

'So I've got some ideas, I'd love to consult and see what we can do as a school. We want to make the best resources available both for my staff and my young people.

'It's just having an environment that's more conducive to positive learning. It's getting more up with the 21^st Century learning – that's what I'm looking at.”

Ministry of Education case manager Graeme Hamlen says it too soon to confirm if, and when, the buildings will be demolished.

'There's a master plan being developed for the possible future of the school. There's a lot of money involved and a lot of planning and the ministry hasn't made a decision on which way it will go yet.

'The master plan for the school redevelopment hasn't been completed. Once that's completed then the decision will be made based upon that and the ministry's future plans.”

Graeme says there are number of other Bay schools with smaller development issues – but OTC's leaky buildings are the biggest problem.