Since the £10 million proposal was announced earlier this year, a group called West End Parents have been raising concerns about St Joseph’s being linked with Park Place Primary and its associated nursery.

They have queried whether the site is large enough and have also said they are worried about potential contamination and lack of space for playing fields.

The council report, which will be considered on Monday, recommends the council proceed with plans.

It also sets out consultation meetings the education department has held with staff, parent council members and other parents at each of the three establishments.

The report says, “With regard to St Joseph’s Primary, the proposal was enthusiastically supported by the staff and the parent council. The vast majority of parents/carers supported the proposal in principle.”

It adds all consulted parties at Park Place were “fully supportive” of the move, which will not result in any change to the catchment areas of the schools.

The report does note some of the questions raised — including why the present St Joseph’s site was not considered for expansion and whether the new building would have enough classrooms to meet class size targets.

One question was, “Is it not true to say this is really an estate rationalisation and that we will lose all the intangible good things that make this school what it is?”

The report states officials present answered the questions and the “vast majority” of the 63 parents/carers present at their meeting gave their support.

The council does not at present own the site, but is in the process of buying it. No design work has taken place, so there are, as yet, no proposed plans to show parents.

The council insists the site is big enough and says this has been confirmed by the Scottish Government, even though the West End Parents believe the guidelines on school building projects suggest otherwise.

There is some contamination on the site, with evidence of “coal ash and old wire, containing traces of arsenic and lead” which previously lay beneath the Harris Academy annexe.

This is said to be not unusual for land previously designated for industrial use. The reports says “the contaminants are not mobile and can be addressed by the type of foundations and ground coverings” chosen for the new building.

This will have 20 classrooms, split between the two schools, and some shared facilities, likely to include the gym, library, dining hall and assembly hall.

Education Convener Liz Fordyce said, “The council has listened closely to the views of parents and carers, parent councils and staff.”

There had been “wide backing” for the new school plans, which also include a shared site to replace Charleston, Lochee and St Clement’s RC primaries, including the full support of Roman Catholic Bishop Vincent Logan.

She went on, “If approved, these new schools will represent another significant investment by the council to improve educational buildings across the city.”

Monsignor Ken McCaffrey, the Roman Catholic representative on the education committee, said, “The diocese has been involved in the consultation process and has expressed general support for the proposals and Bishop Logan has indeed met with those in favour of the proposals and those against and communicated both views to the director of education.

“Whatever decision the committee takes, the diocese will continue to work with Dundee City Council to provide the best possible educational facilities for the children of Lochee/Charleston and the West End, having been assured the identity and educational integrity of St Clement’s and St Joseph’s schools are guaranteed.”