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| £225m Bridgend 'village' planned | £225m Bridgend 'village' planned |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Final details of a £225m scheme to create a new village near Bridgend are to be unveiled. | Final details of a £225m scheme to create a new village near Bridgend are to be unveiled. |
| The plan is to build 1,500 homes on 200 acres (80 hectares) of agricultural land between Bridgend and the neighbouring village of Coity. | The plan is to build 1,500 homes on 200 acres (80 hectares) of agricultural land between Bridgend and the neighbouring village of Coity. |
| Parc Derwen was first proposed over 10 years ago, and the idea is to create a modern community where villagers will be encouraged to walk and cycle. | Parc Derwen was first proposed over 10 years ago, and the idea is to create a modern community where villagers will be encouraged to walk and cycle. |
| But while there is support, some fear it will damage nearby communities. | But while there is support, some fear it will damage nearby communities. |
| Work on the roads and infrastructure work is expected to start next month. | |
| The new village will also have a small shopping centre as well as a 330-place primary and nursery school. | |
| The village will also have 150 social housing homes, a term which covers housing owned either by the local authority or housing associations, which is rented out, usually to people on low incomes. | |
| I feel sorry for the people of Coity - but unfortunately for Ella and others, Bridgend is expanding Jeff Jones, local government consultant | |
| However, critics claim it will be disastrous for Coity. | |
| Residents have been promised a green space between them and Parc Derwen, but they still fear the new village will swallow up their community. | Residents have been promised a green space between them and Parc Derwen, but they still fear the new village will swallow up their community. |
| Ella Dodd, a Coity community councillor and a member of the village association, said: "I would rather have Coity as it always has been. | |
| "I'm quite aware that we do need affordable houses, but most of these houses are not affordable. | |
| 'Real potential' | |
| Jeff Jones, former Labour leader of Bridgend Council, and now a local government consultant, said the scheme should have been started in 2004. | |
| He said: "The UK government wants more housing. The Welsh assembly wants more housing. We need more housing. This is an ideal site. | |
| "Bridgend needs another 7,600 houses up to 2016. | |
| "I feel sorry for the people of Coity. But unfortunately for Ella and others, Bridgend is expanding, it's close to the motorway. | |
| "People will come to Bridgend because it's an area with real potential." | |
| He said the planned bypass would reinvigorate the nearby Brackla trading estate. |