1 June 2022
Mike Patrick
[FYI request #19325 email]
Tēnā koe Mike
Thank you for your email of 11 May 2022 to the Ministry of Education requesting the
following information:
I see from the news that you have purchased one or more houses in Marlborough, by
the sounds of the news story as part of the work you are doing at Marlborough boys
and Girls Colleges, and the intermediate school.
1. Can you please advise of the legal basis and mechanism that you purchased
these properties with ie. were they purchased under the public works act, if so
under what provision/s.
2. Can you also please advise of al the types and amounts of compensation paid to
the owners for each property you have purchased. if for some reason you cannot
disclose the amounts paid then please list all the types of payments made.
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
One property has recently been acquired for the Tautoru o Wairau project, situated at
35 McLauchlan Street, Blenheim. This is a significant project at Marlborough Girls’ College
(MGC) and Marlborough Boys’ College (MBC). This property was acquired under section 17
of the Public Works Act (PWA). It was not compulsorily acquired. The compensation paid
was negotiated based on advice provided by two independent registered valuers, and
agreed at $680,000 plus a sum of $50,000 as provided for under section 72 of the PWA
together with the apportionment of rates
The purchase price of the property is also publicly available at the following link:
https://homes.co.nz/address/blenheim/springlands/35-mclauchlan-street/gKWDN.
The homeowner is also entitled to disturbance costs under section 66 of the PWA to cover
their reasonable expenses, such as valuation, legal or relocation costs. The full text of the
PWA can be found here:
https://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1981/0035/latest/
DLM45427.html, and you can read more about acquisitions for public works here:
https://www.linz.govt.nz/crown-property/acquisition-and-disposal-land/acquisitions-for-public-
works.
OIA: 1287679
National Office, Mātauranga House, 33 Bowen Street, Wellington 6011
PO Box 1666, Wellington 6140. Phone: +64 4 463 8000 Fax: +64 4 463 8001
education.govt.nz
Please note, the Ministry now proactively publishes OIA responses on our website. As such,
we may publish this response on our website after five working days. Your name and contact
details wil be removed.
Nāku noa, nā
Scott Evans
Hautū | Deputy Secretary
Te Puna Hanganga, Matihiko | Infrastructure and Digital
education.govt.nz
