WORK on a controversial site to replace a Newport school was due to start today.

Pupils and staff at Durham Road Junior and Infants Schools are currently occupying crumbling Victorian buildings at the Glebelands former land-fill site.

Workmen moved onto the site this morning to begin work to prepare the land for remediation and construction work that will last for up to eight weeks.

The current work will include the installation of temporary fencing to prevent public access and create safe working areas. Vegetation and fly-tipping alongside Herbert Road will also be removed.

A council spokesman said the preparation work will require limited machinery and vehicles and should not inconvenience residents.

Herbert Road will be used to access the site and vehicles will use Turner Street and East Usk Road to bring in machinery.

Contracts for the new school, which will also replace Rockfield Nursery, are due to be signed by Newport council and Vinci Investments Ltd next month.

New buildings were first suggested nearly two decades ago and official inspectors have criticised the condition of the present schools.

But plans to put a new school on the Glebelands have been dogged by controversy since it was discovered the ground is contaminated with metals and oils.

Opponents have continued to campaign against the proposed location.

Outline planning permission was first given for the new schools in 2000 and in 2004 the design, access arrangements and measures to prevent the contamination of groundwater were also approved.

Newport council will also be selling the former Compton Webb site to Charles Church for a new residential development next month.

Herbert Road will be widened before works begin to provide safe access to the rear of houses on Crawford Street.