The plant has been derelict for 11 years

Since then the village has fallen into decline and residents have said many young people have been forced to leave the area to find work elsewhere.

Albert Jones, who worked at the steel plant for 25 years, said: "For the young people it's a tragedy, there's no work round here for them, they've got to travel out, I always had it on my doorstep."

Brymbo Development Ltd - owners of the 240 acre site - now plan to build houses, recreation areas and business premises, creating between 750 and 1,000 jobs.

Politicians hope the surrounding villages will directly benefit from the regeneration plans.

Clwyd South MP Martyn Jones said: "Eventually there'll be a road through from the A483 straight through to Brymbo.

"Through the site and on either side of it there will be factories and factory units, bringing jobs right into Brymbo itself."

To the community it seems to be moving backwards instead of forwards we need to get it done and get it done properly

Community Councillor, Brian Stapley

The remainder of the site, which will need to be demolished, will be passed to the local authority which will commission the work.

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

Community Councillor Brian Stapley said: "It's just pure deprivation, you can't get away from it.

"There are sites in other areas that have been developed and were closed after the steelworks were closed.

Mr Stapley said the community need more information about the work which is being done at the site.

"To the community it seems to be moving backwards instead of forwards we need to get it done and get it done properly.

Delay defended

"When I see something on the site happening, actually machines digging about and doing something then I'll believe something is happening."

However Wrexham County Borough Council has defended the length of time taken for the project to get going.

The council's chief economic development officer, Paul Roberts, said: "It has taken 11 years and I do understand the frustration.

"I am confident work will start soon, everyone's pulling together and where there's a will, there's a way, all the obstacles are being ticked off one by one, it is time consuming and it is complex."

The assembly has allocated �8.5m grant aid

In December 2000, the Welsh Assembly announced a �8.5m grant aid agreement to reclaim the site.

However, the work was delayed because of issues over the funding of other areas of the scheme.

An extra �6m of European aid has also been earmarked which will help villages hit by the closure of Brymbo steelworks.

The cash was part of the Urban II scheme - with Wrexham being the only successful applicant in Wales.

The villages to benefit include Llay, Brynteg, Coedpoeth and Brymbo, although completion of the project is likely to take several years.