Demonstrators against the plans protested outside Bridgend Council

A �10m state-of-the-art centre of rugby excellence and more than 200 new homes were approved by the Welsh assembly last May.

But fierce opposition from local people about the environmental impact has dogged the development.

The new coalition group has requested an immediate freeze on the plans.

The decision was made by the new three-way coalition of Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Independents who will take control of the council following Thursday's local elections.

Labour lost overall control of the council, although the party still has the largest number of councillors, 21, it lost 18 councillors and the coalition parties together have 31 seats.

The Island Farm development was a one of the main issues of the election campaign.

The academy was to become Wales' centre of excellence in the game

The development for the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to build a National Rugby Academy, a business park, hotel and 210 houses on the rural site south of the A48 in Bridgend has been a hugely controversial issue in the town.

Bridgend Council's planning committee originally rejected the scheme in December 2002.

But the plan was submitted, unchanged, in January and the committee - later expanded to comprise all council members - approved it in April before the plans were handed to the assembly where it was given the go-ahead.

The plans showed that the new academy would feature an indoor arena, weight training facilities, four rugby pitches, an Astroturf surface and a 400m running track.

But residents said it would have caused problems for existing communities if extra housing was built, and even put together a protest song to highlight their concerns.

It was something that was due to happen in a very special area of Bridgend Ann Morgan, Island Farm Action Group

They said the site, at Island Farm, provides an important habitat for dormice and other wildlife.

Ann Morgan who is chair of the Island Farm Action Group who opposed the plans said the scheme has been a very "contentious scheme".

"We have always been opposed to it," she said.

"It was something that was due to happen in a very special area of Bridgend, a tourist area, ecologically a very difficult area.

"We never felt it was a financially viable proposition.

"There was always a chance that the WRU could have gone somewhere else and they only chose this area because it was being offered to them absolutely free.

"And we don't see why the local ratepayers of Bridgend should be paying for a free home for the WRU not just a training academy but office blocks so they can bring their office staff from other areas to this local beauty spot.

"Incidentally that is the same WRU who have just closed down the regional team here - the Celtic Warriors."

"Deeply unpopular"

Ms Morgan said that the plans had formed a large part of the election campaigns by all the parties involved and said she was glad that the new coalition had frozen the scheme.

"I think what has happened here is that a clear mandate has been given to the new council to rethink what was this deeply unpopular scheme," she said.

"Supporters of the scheme say it is a done deal but it is not.

"It actually went through the planning committee over a year ago now but it has never received planning consent.

"Its been held up during the last year because there have been various factors that need to be put into place - a land deal and a special agreement and neither of those things have yet got the approval of the council so its not a done deal.

"And it could be stopped tomorrow and we feel stopped for the right reasons," she said.

She added that she hoped the plans would be scrutinised again by the new council.

A Welsh Rugby Union spokesman said it would not be commenting untl the council had spoken to the developers and the WRU.