CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a new school on a former Newport landfill site look set to go ahead.\

The site - the Glebelands - is too contaminated for building work to start now, but the levels can be reduced, says an expert.

Members of Newport council's cabinet yesterday decided to recommend to the council that a contractor be appointed to carry out more tests on the site and get ready to build. Council leader Sir Harry Jones pledged that any new information discovered about the site will be shared with the public. Yesterday's decision follows an independent report which acknowledged there was contamination at the site but said it could be dealt with easily.

The report was commissioned after the Children's Commissioner for Wales, Peter Clarke, advised against building a replacement for Durham Road School on the site. Mr Clarke cited a study which attempted to link congenital abnormalities in children with proximity to landfill sites.

But at yesterday's meeting, independent specialist adviser Jason Clay said the study could in no way be regarded as relevant or applicable.

He said: "Glebelands actually falls outside the data catchment of the study in that it was closed 30 years before the landfills surveyed.

"This is a very old landfill - a new one would be churning with vapours, but there are no significant health risks from vapours on the site.

"I'm not even sure that it's very contaminated - there are far worse sites. This one doesn't come out anywhere near the top.

"Further investigation is required to look for serious contamination and to increase confidence in the data."

Councillor Jones said: "There can't be any further work carried out on the site until we agree the contract.

"As far as information is concerned, it must be in the public domain. But we are at the stage now where we have to bite the bullet one way or another."

Chris Hill, of the Glebelands Action Group, who also attended the meeting, said: "We felt the council are willing to put everything in the hands of the contractors.

"Sir Harry Jones was very quick to ask who would bear the cost of further tests, and if the contractor wants to keep any information confidential then it's out of the council's hands. "They're putting their finances in front of our children's health and safety."