A FORMER primary school shut by Torfaen council despite a long battle to keep it open could now be demolished and replaced with houses.

Park Terrace Primary in John Street, Pontypool, finally closed its doors in July last year, following a three-year fight between parents and governors and the council.

It had been described by the vice-chairman of the school's governors, Nick Haynes, as "Dickensian", with a roof-top playground that "leaked like a sieve during heavy rain", with buckets in the classrooms to catch the water.

Its 154 pupils were moved to Pontymoile and George Street primaries as the council ignored calls from parents and South-East Wales Liberal Democrat AM Mike German to save the school.

Other options included repairs costing around £260,000 to the 1950s' building, and the option favoured by most parents - a new £3million privately funded school to replace Park Terrace and the ageing Pontymoile Primary.

But education chief Mike de Val and his department pressed ahead with the closure option.

Now councillors on Torfaen's planning committee are being asked to decide whether to award outline planning permission for a residential development on the site. It is not yet known how many homes the development would entail.

At its meeting on Thursday, members will vote for or against a recommendation by council officers to grant the permission.

A report detailing the application by Andy Fretter, the authority's director for the environment, states: "The site is surplus to requirements for education needs and although a relatively modern building, it is understood adaptation to alternative suitable uses would have been extremely difficult, creating an intolerable burden upon on-street parking congestion."

The application involves the demolition of the school building and creation of a new access route from John Street.

All pedestrian barriers fronting the site will also be removed and the exposed gable end wall of a house adjoining the building will be refurbished and completed in matching materials.

Nick Haynes said the move was "inevitable" but sad for all those who had fought to retain the school.

"We have all been watching the school to see what the council were going to do with it," he said.

"As it is no longer going to be a school it would be nice to see something there."