THE final decision on whether a school will be built on a former landfill site is imminent.

The National Assembly is expected to announce in the next week whether they will allow Newport council to build a replacement for the dilapidated Victorian Durham Road school on land at the Glebelands.

Alf Ropke, a consultant advising Newport city council, made the revelations during a meeting of the St Julians neighbourhood committee on Thursday.

The project, which was granted outline planning permission in October 2000, has attracted a wave of protest from local residents who believe a new school should be built elsewhere because of traffic and environmental concerns.

During the meeting at St Julians Baptist Church, Mr Ropke said: "We made a detailed submission to the Assembly in January and since then we have been waiting for an answer on the approval of the scheme. "The decision is expected in the next week or so but - a word of warning - we were expecting an answer sometime in April."

He added: "If the Assembly support the scheme we will be looking to move ahead as quickly as we can over the next six or seven months getting all the preparatory work done and getting on to the development in the New Year."

David Thorndell, of Darlington Court, Newport, asked Mr Ropke how much money had so far been spent on the project.

He replied: "I've not got a figure off the top of my head but it is worth noting that the developer has undertaken much of the expense.

"The amount is not as much as you are thinking because only investigative work has been undertaken but, in due course, there will be a lot of money spent by the developer."

Mr Ropke also said if the scheme was given the go-ahead, the Assembly was considering granting appr-oval for a temporary road to be built off the A4043 across parkland for construction vehicles to use.

He said this would mean heavy goods vehicles would not be driving through residential areas while the school was being built.

When asked about the prospect of the road becoming permanent, Mr Ropke replied: "I can assure you it won't, the Assembly are not that keen on the road."