A small corner of the property has been bought by the son of the land's former owners for sentimental reasons, and the remainder sold to Ngai Tahu. Berwick farmer Dan Lyders (76) has bought two lots, totalling 1133sq m, on the corner of Montpellier and Alva Sts, from the Ministry of Education, after it was offered to him as part of the ministry's disposal process.
Now that the school has closed, the Public Works Act 1981 required the surplus Crown-owned property to be offered to other government departments, previous property owners or their successors, and local iwi, before being placed on the open market.
Mr Lyders said the ministry bought the patch of land from his parents in 1980 so it could expand the school's premises and build a dental clinic on the grounds.
Mr Lyders paid $180,000 for the property and was pleased to have it back in family hands.
He hoped to evenly divide the two plots, sell one of them and then build a house for his retirement.
''I'm looking to retiring in four years time, when I'm 80.
''It will be my retirement spot,'' he said.
The remaining plots, totalling 4930sq m, were bought by Ngai Tahu for $800,000 from the Ministry of Education.
The sale was settled last week.
A Ngai Tahu spokeswoman said yesterday no-one from the iwi was available to comment on what the iwi planned for the site.
Dunedin City Council resource consents manager Alan Worthington said the land was zoned residential 1 and the owners would have to apply for a resource consent to use the property for anything other than housing.
There had been no consent applications to change the zoning, he said.
