CONTROVERSIAL plans to build a Newport primary school on a contaminated former landfill site received a major boost yesterday when the proposed developers pledged the land would be safe for children.

And Newport councillors gave unanimous cross-party backing to the latest stage of the proposals yesterday, prompting leader Sir Harry Jones to welcome the council's "degree of unity over Durham Road".

Plans to site the new school on the contaminated Glebelands playing fields have prompted widespread concerns over the health risks for pupils attending the new school.

Investigations by consultants White Young Green Environmental (WYGE) have shown the land is currently unsafe for the proposed development, with tests showing the soil is contaminated with toxins, including mercury and arsenic.

But in a presentation by the preferred bidders in the PFI financed scheme, Vinci Investments Ltd, yesterday, the project manager, Martin Hunt stressed: "Vinci would not want to be associated with a project not safe for its end users."

WYGE studies reveal a "theoretical health risk" to users of the site which would need to be eliminated before any development could proceed.

The decontamination work includes excavation of metal drums and the capping of the land with clay and will be monitored independently by the Environment Agency and Newport council's environmental health department.

Councillor Ernie Watkins called the land a "pussy cat of a brownfield site" and said fears over its safety had been "exaggerated."

And Councillor Harry Jones said concerns over the site raised in the Argus by the Children's Commissioner for Wales Peter Clarke and the National Assembly had not been passed on to Newport council. Councillor Jones said: "They have not found it necessary to contact this council."

But the promises have failed to win over protesters against the plans to build the new school on the site.

Brian Donavon, a member of the Glebelands Action Group, said after the meeting: "Any risk to our children is unacceptable."

Vinci architect Bill Martin outlined a timetable for the new development which indicated work on the 12- month project could start in the spring. Durham Road head teacher Jeff Beecher said: "Any positive moves is great news for us and if the hurdles can be jumped we may be in the new school for September 2005."