A £2 million replacement for a Welsh-medium primary school could be built in a Valleys town.

Blaenau Gwent council will discuss this week whether to apply for a grant from the Welsh Assembly to build a replacement for Ysgol Gymraeg in Brynmawr, which is the county borough's only Welsh-medium school.

The council would apply for a lump sum grant of £500,000 in the financial year 2007/8 and £1.5 in 2008/9 to build the school. If the bid was successful, the council would then have to provide an estimated £1.5 million towards the school.

The Welsh Assembly funding is part of a £9 million School Buildings Improvement Capital Grant, allocated to every authority in Wales.

The money is to support major school redevelopment up to 2010.

The council has already successfully bid for £6,500,000 over the 2005/6 and 2006/7 financial years to provide new primary schools at Nantyglo and Willowtown, Ebbw Vale.

Work has started on Nantyglo Primary School and it is planned to open in September 2006.

Work on the Willowtown school is due to start this month - and should be completed by the end of 2006.

To cover the rising cost of new school buildings, Blaenau Gwent council has bid for an extra £500,000 for the Willowtown school. The council's executive committee will decide on Wednesday whether to bid for the grant.

Brynmawr councillor Lyn Elias told the Argus a new building was needed to replace Ysgol Gymraeg as demand for spaces at Blaenau Gwent's only Welsh-medium school was increasing.

"There is a great interest in the Welsh language now. It is a successful school and is increasing in size," he said.

Councillor Elias added that the school is also on a difficult site as it is close to a main road, and is a very old building with no space for recreational facilities.

He hoped the new school would be open within around three years.