CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save a Gwent primary school from closure say plans for a development of 400 houses in the next village should guarantee its future.

Ponthir Primary School is threatened with closure by Torfaen council along with two other primary schools.

The council says it must cut the number of surplus places in the borough - set to rise to 2,500 by 2008.

It is due to make a final decision on the closures on Wednesday during an extraordinary council meeting.

The other primary schools facing closure are Brook-field, Cwmbran, and Pent-wyn, Abersychan.

Ponthir scores highly on teaching standards and pupil performance, but the education department says 44% of its places will be surplus by 2008.

Campaigner and parent Lynn Grant said a 400-house development earmarked for the site of Llanfrechfa Grange Hospital could mean 127 extra primary school children - an early council estimate - to the area.

Outline planning permission has only just been lodged by Gwent Healthcare Trust and the National Assembly.

"We have always said this is going to have an impact, but education chiefs won't acknowledge it," said Mrs Grant.

"What if you are a parent wanting a school with an excellent Estyn report and wrap-around nursery facilities? Wouldn't Ponthir be attractive? "Neither Llanyrafon or Croesyceiliog have these."

But Councillor John Turner, Torfaen council's executive member for education, said the potential development was already "factored into the figures used in the consultation as well as our statutory school organisation plan".

He said: "We use an established formula to estimate how many school age children any new development will bring.

"This gives an estimated 80 children of primary school age should 400 houses be built.

"But most of the primary age children would be expected to go to Llanyrafon school as it's closer."

As recently reported, Ponthir governors are trying to safeguard the school's future by turning it into a faith school, which would mean it is mainly controlled by the church.

There is a public meeting tomorrow night at 7pm at the school about this.