Greater Christchurch minister Megan Woods has used legislative powers for the first time to secure a future for an earthquake battered primary school.

She will be fast tracking changes to the city's district plan to relocate Redcliffs school to a nearby park.

The school's been closed since the 2011 earthquake after rocks fell from the cliffs behind it.

Redcliffs School Principal Rose McInerney says after seven years it's very exciting.

"It's quite overwhelming really, when you have been on a journey for this long and its had lots of challenges and we have been through quite a lot."

 McInerney says they hope to start building before the end of the year.

"We hope that we will start building before the end of the year. I think it usually takes one year to build a school. So hopefully by the end next year, we will be looking at moving into our brand new school back in our home in Redcliff."