THE demolition of the former Oakdale Comprehensive School cost Caerphilly council more than £770,000 - but that was comfortably under the original estimate.

And plans to demolish buildings at the former Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School site have been delayed.

The county borough council has revealed that the cost of demolishing the eight school buildings at Oakdale was £776,777, against an original estimate of £1.021 million.

“The works required the removal of a significant amount of asbestos by specialist contractors and the scheme was completed last year," said a council spokesman.

The cost included a necessary invasive pre-demolition asbestos survey. Demolition was funded by reserves set aside by the council.

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Oakdale school closed at the end of June 2017 along with Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School.

The schools merged following the completion of the new Islwyn High School.

Last year plans to demolish Pontllanfraith school were put on hold until the end of March so the council could consider the future of the leisure centre.

According to the award notice on the Sell2Wales website for the demolition of Oakdale school contract, the plans to demolish Pontllanfraith school have been delayed further.

The contract says: “Bidders shall note that the tender process for lot two demolition of Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School has now been cancelled and therefore no contract was awarded for this package of work.”

Both sites have been earmarked by the council for housing.