The former Otepopo School buildings in Herbert are due to be demolished, but concerns have been raised by the local community about the process and a lack of communication.
Demolition of the buildings will commence on December 1.
Otepopo School, which had the distinction of being the oldest school in North Otago, closed on September 24, 2010, but Ministry of Education infrastructure acting head Jerome Sheppard said disposal of the former school site was ''not straightforward''.
Going through the Public Works Act disposal process, the ministry had decided to demolish the buildings.
''In our experience, former school buildings are rarely versatile enough for other potential uses and it is preferable to potential purchasers that they are removed or demolished prior to sale of the land,'' Mr Sheppard said.
''Removal or demolition of the unused buildings also reduces security and maintenance costs and cuts down the risk of vandalism.''
However, the Otago Daily Times was approached by a North Otago couple who said they had expressed an interest in buying the buildings, and the land, in 2012.
They declined to be named because they were seeking legal advice.
They saw the potential to turn the school buildings into office space, and had the intention to preserve facilities, such as the tennis courts, for the community to use.
They have copies of the letter they wrote to Darroch property managers in 2012 with an offer for the buildings and the land. They never received a response.
''We want them to stop [demolition],'' they said.
Part of the Otepopo School site was purchased by the Ministry of Education, and part of it was gifted in 1943.
''The process of offering the gifted land back is complicated and we are still in the process of identifying entitled descendants,'' Mr Sheppard said.
Once entitled descendants had been identified, and their rights have been dealt with, the site - either in its entirety or minus the gifted land - would be offered back to Ngai Tahu under the Treaty of Waitangi Right of First Refusal.
Should Ngai Tahu decline to purchase the site, it will be placed on the open market for sale.
Tenders for the sale and/or removal of the school buildings were advertised in July 2014.
''We were contacted by a number of interested parties and sent out several packs with the property details, but received no offers of purchase,'' Mr Sheppard said.
The North Otago couple questioned why the buildings would be demolished before going through the full Public Works Act disposal process.
''You go around the district here and nobody knows about [demolition],'' they said.
''It's almost like they're sneaking in, they're going to have [demolition] done and dusted then it's all going to be gone and nobody is going to know about it - and I just think it's a little bit rude.''
Land Information New Zealand Crown Property acting deputy chief executive Annelies McClure said all buildings on the school site would be demolished.
The house across the road would be sold in its current condition, she said.
Herbert historian Dorothy McKenzie, when approached by the Otago Daily Times, said she was unaware of plans to demolish the school.
''That's the first I've heard of it ... that's ridiculous,'' she said.
''I think it's awful, but I suppose we don't have any say.''
Lois McMillan said while organising the school's 150th celebrations in March, she was told that the Ministry of Education was preparing the school for sale, but demolition had not been discussed.
''It doesn't sound very transparent to the community,'' she said.
Sale of Crown-owned land
Any disposal of land owned by the Crown must meet certain statutory and government policy requirements, such as the Public Works Act 1981.
In general, the steps for disposing of land - such as prisons and schools - involve the following:
1. Determining if land is needed for any other public works.
2. Determining if land needs to be offered back to the person the Crown originally bought it from, or their successors.
3. Offering land to Maori under a Treaty claim settlement or, possibly, holding land for a future settlement.
4. Selling the land on the open market - generally by listing with a real estate agent.
Otepopo School
• Officially opened June 6, 1864, under control of Otago Education Board.
• In 1878, approval given to build a new school as the roll had been steadily growing.
• That building was officially opened in 1881 and was used until 1975 when it was deemed an earthquake risk.
• In 1974, Otepopo School received a $50,402 grant to build new premises.
• New building officially opened in February 1976.
• Old building demolished in 1977 by Waitaki Transport Holdings at a cost of $780. Roof slates recycled, used by the Historic Places Trust for restoration of heritage buildings.
• Old school site levelled and two tennis courts then built over that area after community fundraising.
• In 2003, Otepopo School named Goodman Fielder School of the Year, small primary/intermediate section.
• School closed on September 24, 2010. At its peak that year, its roll was 22 pupils; it finished with four.
• Closure started by proposal for amalgamation that had not been discussed or approved by Otepopo's board of trustees. That led to an Education Review Office report in September 2008, resulting in the sacking of the board in March 2010, replacement by commissioner Mike Allison, a review in April and a decision by Minister of Education Anne Tolley that June to close the school.
