Education chiefs plan to close a primary school in the Vale and merge and move others to a new education campus partially built on a high school football pitch.

Under the £17.2m plans St Martin's Primary would close and merge with pupils from St Mary's, Alexandria.

Pupils from both schools would be moved to a new school built on the site of the current St Martin's school and using part of the Vale of Leven Academy's 3G pitch.

Renton Primary and Language Unit and Riverside Early Learning and Childcare Centre would be moved into new buildings on the campus.

The sale of the St Mary's and Renton Primary School sites is expected to make the council £430,000.

The plans would be subject to consultation by parents, teachers and other interested parties.

Councillors will be asked to approve putting the plan out to consultation at a educational services committee meeting next month.

A report by head of Education Services, Terry Lanagan, states these premises were picked as the best place to start spending the £30million the council pledged in February for upgrading primary schools and early learning and childcare centres across West Dunbartonshire.

The report states St Mary's is overcrowded and 'not which is not really designedfor the way in which modern education is delivered' with much of the exterior space 'traditional, featureless tarmac.

Mr Lanagan said St Martin's is the smallest school in West Dunbartonshire with 58 pupils at the last count so is proposed to merge with St Mary's.

The report states that Renton Primary is the 'probably the poorest school building in West Dunbartonshire' and is 'struggling for space'.

The report adds that building a new Renton Language Unit would mean that instead of being housed in various classrooms throughout Renton Primary, some of the 'most vulnerable young people' in the area would be able to have a new facility purpose-built for their needs.

As part of the plans a new 3G football pitch would be constructed at the current grass pitch behind the academy and council officials say the new campus will save £218,000 a year.

The report reveals five sites were looked at for the new campus - including Millburn Cricket Club, Millburn Football Club, St Mary's Primary and Renton Primary.

Both sports clubs scored lower than the chosen St Martin's Primary/Vale of Leven Academy site while St Mary's and Renton primaries were ruled out on the grounds of 'not large enough'.

The new campus would include with an outdoor learning environment incorporating play areas and a multi-use games pitch.

Pedestrian access for parents and young people travelling to the new campus from Alexandria would be improved with the existing pathway leading from Milburn Park enhanced and extended to the new campus. A new car parking area at Milburn would also be built.

If the plans are agreed, all three schools involved in the project as well as the language unit and Riverside ELCC would continue to operate in their current locations until the new campus opens in August 2018.

Mr Lanagan said: “These proposals would see hundreds of children move from ageing buildings and unsuitable grounds to a state of the art campus with all the facilities required for modern learning. I believe it would help our pupils learn, develop and realise their full potential.

“Committee approval would allow us to undertake a major consultation exercise on these proposals so that we can gather the views of parents, pupils and teachers and ensure that what is built is fit-for-purpose and addresses the aspirations of the local community.

“The project would mark the latest phase in an exciting school improvement project that has seen schools upgraded in Bonhill, Balloch, Dumbarton and Clydebank.” A consultation on the plans is required by law and would run from Monday September 7 until Friday 30 October, if approved by councillors.