NEWPORT council chiefs are shelving their on-going debate over plans to create an international airport for the city.

Proposals for a Severnside international airport collapsed in December when the government refused to consider the concept.

Newport council never officially backed the scheme, which was put together by a consortium, but at a cabinet meeting yesterday they conceded the plans should be shelved indefinitely.

Chris Freegard, managing director of Newport council, said: "We believe that there was an economic and business case and we wished to see that explored.

"We have made the best possible case to the the relevant transport departments and the Assembly in order to advance that proposition. But this is the end of this proposal, at least for the foreseeable future."

Leader Sir Harry Jones added: "This idea has been around for a long time. We won't spend any more time on it. It's now for Cardiff to pursue the betterment of their airport."

The government's White Paper report concluded that a new airport in or around the Severn estuary to the east of Newport would "struggle to attract traffic from the established airports at Cardiff and Bristol, and is too distant from south east England to serve that market."

The report set out the framework for air travel in the UK for the next 30 years. Cardiff is to be the main airport for South Wales.

But Michael Stephen, chairman of the Severnside International Airport Consortium, told the Argus yesterday that growing air travel means an airport is still needed, and he hopes to table fresh plans "within months."

Mr Stephen said: "The White Paper offers only guidance. "The implications for an intercontinental airport near Newport for the whole of the South of the UK are enormous and haven't been fully appreciated. "We are taking stock and will bring the plans forward at the right time, perhaps within months."