THE building of a new Newport school was finally rubberstamped.

Contracts for the new Glan Usk primary school, which will replace Durham Road Infants and Juniors, were signed between developers Vinci Investments Ltd and Newport City Council.

The new school, which will be built at Glebelands under the government's private finance initiative (PFI) and plans have already been approved.

The cabinet member for young people's services, councillor Bob Poole, said: "An incredible amount of hard work has gone into getting the project this far and the signing up the contracts means we have cleared the project's last hurdle.

"We can now look forward to this state-of-the art facility opening to pupils in January 2010."

Due to the withdrawal of Charles Church Developments Ltd from the housing element of the scheme, it is the council's intention to invite new proposals from developers for the residential development.

Although the residential development is an important part of the project, the financial agreement with Vinci will allow the school to proceed ahead of a new developer being selected.