The Ministry of Education has cancelled plans to demolish the former Otepopo School buildings at Herbert and will make them available for sale with the land.
Otepopo School, which had the distinction of being the oldest school in North Otago, closed on September 24, 2010.
Under the Public Works Act disposal process, a decision had been made to demolish all of the school buildings, at a cost of $38,000.
Demolition was to start on December 1 - but concerns were raised by the Herbert community about the process and a lack of communication.
In an Otago Daily Times article in October, questions were also raised about why the buildings would be demolished before going through the full Public Works Act disposal process.
Initially, the Ministry of Education issued a statement that said, in its experience, former school buildings were ''rarely versatile enough for other potential uses'' and it was preferable to potential purchasers that they were removed or demolished prior to sale of the land.
However, the Otago Daily Times was approached by a North Otago couple who said they had expressed interest in buying the land with the buildings intact, and had made an offer, two years ago.
They saw the potential to turn the school buildings into office space, and intended preserving facilities such as the tennis courts for the community to use.
They never received a response to their letter.
After hearing about demolition plans, they sought legal advice and have since been issued with an apology from Land Information New Zealand for the lack of response to their letter dated November 2, 2012.
Ministry infrastructure services manager Kim Shannon said after hearing that members of the local community had a strong interest in acquiring the site with the buildings still on it, demolition plans had been cancelled.
''We try to support our schools' communities where we can,'' she said.
The North Otago couple interested in the property said they were ''very pleased'' the ministry had listened to the Herbert community and given them an opportunity to buy the site with buildings intact, if it reached stage four of the Public Works Act 1981 disposal process.
At present, the sale of the Otepopo School site is at stage two.
The majority of the property is exempt from offer-back to former owners, but a small parcel was given to the school in 1943.
This will be offered back to the previous owners or their descendants once they have been identified.
Stage three will then take place, where the main school parcel, and a smaller lot, will be offered to Ngai Tahu.
The gifted land will also be included in this offer, if it is declined by the previous owners or their successors, or if none can be located.
Should Ngai Tahu decline the property, it will be offered on the open market - with the school buildings intact - for at least four weeks.
The former Otepopo School house, at 26 Ross Rd, is at stage four, on the open market.
