PLANS for a housing development on a "sensitive" area next to Newport's historic Tredegar House and Gardens will be subject to strict controls.

Homes are likely to be built on the site of St Joseph's RC High School after pupils and staff move to a £10 million replacement school nearby.

Newport's planning committee was in favour of granting outline planning permission but with conditions including the drawing up of a 'master plan' to include details of design, density and provision of open space.

The grounds of Tredegar House, including two small parts of the school site, are on the register of parks and gardens of special historic interest in Wales.

Part of the land also falls with the Tredegar Park Conservation Area. "It can be seen that the application site is in a particularly sensitive location and any development within it needs to have special regard to the historic garden and the character and appearance of the Conservation Area," said an officer's report.

It went on to say the layout of any development would be crucial to its relationship with Tredegar House and Gardens.

"In this respect it would be beneficial to achieve landscape open places on the boundary to the park."

Development control manager Sean Hannaby said a masterplan would determine an area within which building would be allowed and safeguard areas of open space. "The houses themselves have got to be carefully designed to fit in with the character of that area."

The sale of the site will form part of the financial package that is funding development of the new school which is a joint venture between the local education authority and the Arch Diocese of Cardiff.

Arch Diocese trustees have applied for planning permission to establish the principle of residential use to help market the land.