Police made 24 arrests after the rioting in June

Walkways and underpasses at the Mount Estate at Milford Haven will be sealed with large metal gates as part of a �50,000 project to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour there.

It is the first step of a much larger plan to upgrade housing and roads in the community where 24 people were arrested last June after trouble flared up.

The trouble was blamed on young single residents buying and selling illegal drugs.

We have an over supply of bed sits and one bedroom flats so there are too many single young people living there Councillor Barry Woolmer

Now Pembrokeshie Council, housing agencies and Welsh assembly are drawing up plans to demolish some of the bed sits and one bedroom flats and replace them with family homes.

Work on the 'alleygating' initiative is expected to be completed by March.

Local councillor Barry Woolmer said the move had the support of the majority of people living there.

"There are several passage ways under the flats and if there is any mischief going on they are used by those responsible as an escape route from the police," he said.

"The residents' association has been asked about it and although it will mean a slightly longer walk for some they are quite happy to see it going ahead."

Open spaces

But he said it was a short-term measure and plans were being drawn up to spend millions of pounds on transforming the layout and accommodation on the estate.

"We have an over supply of bed sits and one bedroom flats so there are too many single young people living there," added Mr Woolmer.

"There are too many open spaces and we are going to look at the whole layout.

"We need more family homes and we are looking at enclosing some of the spaces to give people their own back yards and gardens.

"There are too many roads that just come to a dead end and we want to change this.

"It is going to take several years but it is work that is needed."

Other areas in Wales earmarked for 'alleygating' projects include Ely in Cardiff, the Caia Park estate in Wrexham - the scene of violent disturbances in June - and the Castleland ward in Barry.

Assembly Social Justice Minister Edwina Hart, who has made two visits to the Mount Estate since the rioting there, said she was confident the projects would cut crime.