NEWPORT City Council has defended its decision to progress with the planning application for the Welsh-language school – which was thrown out last week – despite knowing about concerns around flooding since November.

On Wednesday Newport City Council’s planning committee voted to block a long-awaited plans to build the secondary school at Duffryn High in Lighthouse Road, a decision which prompted fury from parents, teachers and pupils past and present.

Although members voted five to one to refuse the £17 million plan – which also included a much-needed new classroom block for Duffryn High – after hearing Natural Resources Wales had raised concerns around the likelihood the site could flood, it later emerged the council had known about the agency’s concerns since November.

A council spokeswoman said the authority had “always been aware of the challenges presented by the site”.

“In mitigation of the geographical challenges of the site, significant enhancements were made during the development of the scheme including raised level buildings and best practice flood risk management plans,” she said.

“On November 20 2015 the Council was made aware that Natural Resources Wales objected to the application.

“Despite this information, there were still strong grounds for the educational case and plans proposed to manage flood risks and consequences.

“It was therefore appropriate to allow the council’s Planning Committee to determine the outcome of the scheme.”

She added the council is still legally required to provide Welsh language education and would work “tirelessly” to ensure this was met.

“The council of course understands the disappointment and frustration being felt by many young people and their parents,” she said. “But Wednesday’s meeting signals a delay and not the end.”

Although the council has repeatedly said the Duffryn High site was the only viable option for the new school, at a public meeting on Friday head of education James Harris said the authority, alongside Monmouthshire County Council, which is also involved in the application, was already looking at alternatives.

But the council has confirmed it had determined it would only be able to maintain Welsh language teaching at Lliswerry High School in Nash Road, which many had suggested as a viable alternative, for between two and four years.

Meanwhile a petition has been launched calling on the two councils to “act fast” in developing new plans for a Welsh-language school in the area, and has so far attracted 171 signatures.

Liberal Democrat campaigner Michael Enea, who set up the petition, called for an investigation into the issue.

“To have over 300 students commuting to Torfaen via buses because Newport city cannot accommodate their needs must be sorted out quickly and efficiently,” he said.

To sign the petition visit newportliberaldemocrats.org.uk/welsh_language_secondary_school.

Duffryn High, which was established in 1959, has never flooded and residents in the area have said records show there has been no flooding in the area since the year 1600.