A PLAN to amalgamate two Gwent primary schools moved a step closer yesterday with a decision by councillors to launch public consultations.

Torfaen council's cabinet yesterday voted to consult on a "preferred" option of closing Brookfield and Hollybush primary schools in Cwmbran to cut the number of surplus primary school places.

Under the plan they would be replaced by a new £5.7m 360-pupil school on the Hollybush site.

The council plans to fund the new school by selling off land for housing development on both sites.

As previously reported the council earmarked Brookfield primary school in Cwmbran for closure last year, but after campaigners put forward their own detailed costings and proposals to keep the school open, a decision was deferred.

Cabinet members were told yesterday that the council would consult on three options - to close Brookfield as originally proposed, to close Oakfield school and improve the Brookfield site for both sets of pupils - as proposed by Brookfield campaigners - and the preferred third option of closing Brookfield and Hollybush, and building a new school.

Councillor John Turner, Torfaen council's executive member for education said: "I think it's a very exciting proposal.

"It will allow us to significantly reduce the number of surplus places, as well as creating new housing so that something is put back into the area."

Torfaen's director for education Mike de Val said between the three schools there would be a combined 33 per cent in surplus places by 2007/8.

He said proposals put forward by Brookfield Action Group to amalgamate Oakfield and Brookfield on the site of the latter had "a significant number of weaknesses".

These included the cost, estimated at nearly £600,000 by campaigners, but closer to £1.3 million according to the council.

Mr de Val added that a behavioural resource base at Oakfield needed to be retained, and said the school was "in the heart" of its catchment area.

A report is due to be fed back to the council by December.