Reassurance over Brymbo jobs

Brymbo steelworks closed in 1990

A life-long campaigner for the renovation of a former steelworks in north Wales has accused planners of reneging on a deal to turn his village back into a hub of activity.

Brymbo steelworks on the outskirts of Wrexham once employed up to 6,000 people, it finally closed in 1990 with the loss of 1,000 jobs.

Since then, the land has been left dormant but following a lengthy campaign, developers promised to create 1,000 new jobs by building hundreds of new houses, an industrial area and a link road through the village to be built.

Resident Dennis Greenaway is concerned developers are concentrating on building up to 600 new homes as they have not mentioned their plans to build a small industrial estate.

"We can't get a guarantee that they'll create 1,000 jobs," he said.

In its heyday up to 6,000 people worked in Brymbo

But Paul Roberts from Wrexham Council said he would assure residents that jobs will eventually come.

"The scheme has a planning application for a mix of housing and employment and this application has not been altered," he said.

Karen Sinclair, Assembly Member for Clwyd South said there are concerns but she is "determined" to ensure jobs will follow.

"There's not going to be industry there on the level that was there for Brymbo steelworks," she said.

"I am certainly determined though that new jobs will happen."

Brymbo development 1990 - Brymbo steelworks closed 2000 - £8.5m grant aid to reclaim the site 2001 - Wrexham Council hears proposals to create 1,000 jobs 2003 - Excavation work begins

However, she did admit that plans to build a link road from the A483 straight through to Brymbo could be in jeopardy because no funding has been secured.

Brymbo Development Ltd - owners of the 240 acre site - have said they plan to build houses, recreation areas and business premises on the site once the land has been excavated.

Redevelopment work on the run down site began last month, 12 years after the plant was shut down.

Over 1,000 workers were made redundant when it closed in 1990 and since then the community has markedly declined.

The majority of villagers worked in the steelworks and following its demise many people were forced to leave and look for work elsewhere.

Brymbo is one of very few derelict steelworks in Britain which has not been reclaimed.