More than 11 years after Brymbo steelworks closed redevelopment work costing more than �8m is to finally get under way.

After a long battle between local residents, ex-workers, politicians and councillors the bulldozers are set to move in on Monday ahead of the demolish of buildings still on site.

I'm sure the whole community will breath a sigh of relief that this complex issue has been resolved

Shan Wilkinson, Leader of Wrexham Council

More than 1,000 workers were made redundant when the plant closed in 1990.

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

Leader of Wrexham Council Shan Wilkinson is pleased the redevelopment is to begin: "I'm sure the whole community will breath a sigh of relief that this complex issue has been resolved."

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

Money has been ploughed into the scheme as part of a Welsh Assembly initiative which will see the whole area of west Wrexham improved.

Brymbo steelworks closed in 1990

Brymbo Development Limited(BDL) own the 240 acre site and plan to build houses, recreation areas and business premises, creating between 750 and 1,000 jobs.

Wrexham County Borough Council, BDL and the Welsh Development Agency(WDA) have formed a unique partnership to bring forward the reclamation work.

Chris Farrow, from the WDA also welcomed the redevelopment work: "This has taken longer than we would all have liked, but it has required patience and skill to find a way forward."

Martyn Jones, Clwyd South MP, added: "I am pleased that this is now going to happen and at long last Brymbo can move forward with this development.

Historical value

"Although residents may suffer from some small level of disruption over the next couple of years, I am certain that in the long term, the benefits for the village will be huge."

The Brymbo site also contains buildings of historical value which are more than 200-years-old.

Many of the artefacts can be traced back to the establishment of the former steelworks by John Wilkinson.

These will be preserved and transferred to the ownership of Wrexham Council.