A SHARED Catholic and Jewish school campus believed to be the first in Europe is to be set up in Newton Mearns.

The £13.6million project at Waterfoot Road will create a new Catholic primary with non-denominational nursery and a replacement building for East Renfrewshire's existing Jewish primary and nursery, Calderwood Lodge.

The campus will have separate pupil entrances and classroom wings and separate head teachers for the two schools but children will share the playground as well as sports and music facilities.

Kosher catering and dining facilities will be provided for Calderwood Lodge which will close at the end of the 2016/17 school year with the joint campus opening after the summer break.

The council agreed last year to hold an informal consultations with the Catholic and Jewish communities and both said they were happy for the campus to go ahead.

Director of education Mhairi Shaw met parents' groups from both Calderwood Lodge and St Cadoc's as well as school chaplains.

Key leaders of each faith and the parent councils discussed the proposal with their communities and meetings were arranged at churches.

Parent councils also had joint talks and feedback from organisations such as the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council and the Catholic church were positive.

Although Calderwood Lodge is owned and managed by East Renfrewshire, it is located in the Newlands area of Glasgow.

For some time, parents have been calling for a school to be provided in the area where most of the school's Jewish community live.

When the new campus is built, Jewish pupils at Calderwood Lodge will continue to transfer to Mearns Castle High and Catholic youngsters will move up to St Ninian's High.

East Renfrewshire convener for education and equalities Elaine Green, said: "East Renfrewshire Council's education committee was unanimous in giving the shared faith campus the go-ahead.

"There is a pressing need for additional school places for children of Catholic faith and our Jewish school community has long expressed the desire to relocate to East Renfrewshire, where most of our Calderwood Lodge pupils live.

"Our plans for a shared faith school's joint campus should be realised by the start of the 2017/2018 school session."

Vice-convener Paul O'Kane added: "It is hugely encouraging that both our Catholic and Jewish communities have responded to this informal consultation so positively.

"I look forward to hearing more positive and encouraging views from everyone involved as we move ahead in the process."