UPDATE 11.30AM: Merivale Primary School is closed today and part of a property is cordoned off as police continue investigating the suspicious death of a man.

The school's Board of Trustee's decided to close the school for today only following the discovery of a Merivale man's body at a Kesteven Avenue property on Sunday.

Merivale School is closed today while police continue to investigate the death of a man.

The body, believed to be that of a 52-year-old man, was found by neighbours near the primary school about 10am. Police cordoned off the property and parts of the school from 11am, which remain under cordon today.

The board has contacted parents to advise them the school is closed and will reopen on Tuesday at the normal time.

Parents need to keep their children at home or make alternative care arrangements.

When SunLive visited Merivale today, a police car remained behind the cordon at the school's entrance.

Tauranga Police Detective Sergeant Greg turner says police are continuing to investigate the man's death and are awaiting the results of a post-mortem due back this afternoon. At this stage they are treating the death as suspicious, but the post-mortem will provide further insight.

He says police are also investigating reports of a disturbance in the Merivale area on Saturday night.

Today members of the Merivale community gathered at the community centre where centre manager John Fletcher says people are still in shock. Read more about the community reaction here.

John says there are numerous rumours and allegations surrounding the death. He says the victim was a 'sort of unofficial security person” in the community.

'He would patrol around the school and keep an eye on the community centre. Safety in the community was his thing; he would keep an eye on things and an ear to the ground.

'The residents group that he was a part of were trying to make the community a safer place and challenging people to take responsibility for how they behave and how they are with their kids.”

John says there was 'trouble” in the Kesteven Ave area on Saturday night but he doesn't know if the death and disturbance are related.

'We need to take a breath and wait until we have heard exactly what's going on.”

John reminds people the community centre is open today for those who want to come in and talk what has happened. He is also concerned about the potential to cause some unrest within the community.

'I haven't got a feeling of what people are feeling, but I will get that over the course of the day.

'I would expect people to be angry.”

Police want to hear from anyone in the area in Saturday night or Sunday morning who has any information that may assist with the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Tauranga Police on 07 577 4300. Information can also be provided anonymously to the organisation Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.