BACKING for an international airport in Gwent has taken a dramatic turn as Newport city council's cabinet asked the Assembly to give the idea "urgent" consideration.

It stopped short of supporting the plan currently being put forward by the Severnside International Airport Company for an airport south-west of Llanwern steelworks.

The Assembly has already come out against the idea, saying it was "long-term and speculative" and would mean the closure of Cardiff and Bristol airports.

But the city council is eager to get the concept included in the government UK Air Transport White Paper.

So far, the Severnside company has made all the running, even coming out with plans for its £2 billion airport and claiming that it would create around 26,000 jobs.

It is known that Severnside's managing director Michael Stephen and board member Peter Williams briefed council representatives two weeks ago.

At the time, Mr Stephen advised that any supporters of his company's plans had until November 30 to make submissions for inclusion in the Green Paper, though the consultation period was likely to go on longer.

It is not absolutely clear why the council cabinet, which went into closed session to discuss the issue, is not declaring support for Mr Stephen's company.

But Mr Stephen said later that this was because he had specifically asked at his meeting that the council should consider the concept of a Gwent airport rather than his particular scheme.

"I am very pleased to hear this news," he said. "We now need to have a meeting with key people in the Assembly to explain what the concept of an international airport at Newport involves."

So far the government has also steered clear of the Gwent airport idea, saying predicted increases in air traffic could be met by other means, including the possibility of an international airport in Pilning, north of Bristol.

A council cabinet spokewoman said: "If an airport ten miles away from Newport is economically viable, then there must be a similar if not stronger case for building one the Welsh side of the Severn."

A SE Wales international airport would "sit alongside" the other proposals for a major international solution at three English sites in Pilning, the West Midlands and Cliff, in Kent, the cabinet believes.