THE planned £24million 'superschool' will revolutionise teaching in north Torfaen area, experts say.

As reported, the controversial Pontypool scheme was finally given the go-ahead by councillors last week.

The huge new building will provide a desperately-needed replacement for Treve-thin and Abersychan schools and house over 1,200 pupils.

As well as being a school it will also act as an all-age learning centre and community facility.

Last week councillors agreed that the £24 million development, officially called the Torfaen Learning Centre, should be built on the west bank of the Afon Lwyd in Pontnewynydd.

The idea to house a so-called 'superschool' in Pontypool was first proposed in March 2001, but has been dogged by problems and opposition from the start.

The Confederation of British Industry was interested in pumping in £2 million to the plans.

But it fell out with the council and withdrew its support over issues of who would run and manage the school and what age group it would cater for.

The decision to house the school on the site of Ty Nant Ddu residential home has also caused friction.

But head teachers of both Trevethin and Abersychan schools have backed the development from the beginning.

Royston Toon, head of Trevethin Community School, said of the superschool plan: "As far as the staff of my school is concerned, we are 100 per cent behind this. We know this is a chance to regenerate and transform the quality of education and life in this area, and not just for the children.

"It is a radical solution - it is going to be a very different kind of school. There is a huge amount of support for this and we are all behind it."

Peter Scott, head of Abersychan Comprehensive, has stated he believes the new school is necessary because of the poor state of the existing buildings.

And Cabinet member for education, John Turner, called the school a 'very exciting project for Torfaen'.

He told the Argus: "This new school really will revolutionise education in the Eastern Valley. We will be replacing two dilapidated old buildings with a brand new facility capable of taking education in Torfaen into the 21st century."

People living in Riverside and Penygarn and St Cadoc's originally opposed the development - but a recent poll of residents from both areas showed that most are now behind the scheme.