THE SHAPE of things to come for Ebbw Vale's Corus site is unveiled today. Ebbw Vale - dealt a devastating blow by the loss of 800 jobs when Corus closed the tinplate works in the town last year - could now be transformed over the next ten years.

The Ebbw Vale steelworks masterplan was drawn up by a team of consultants and lays out a series of bold and impressive proposals - including a learning campus, business units, houses and a community hospital - which would cost tens of millions of pounds. There is also the promise of more than 1,500 jobs.

Blaenau Gwent councillors were meeting this afternoon to decide whether to accept it. Council leader John Hopkins said the plan is "very exciting" and likely to be accepted. The push is then on with the National Assembly and Welsh Development Agency to find funding - although £25 million of the Corus regeneration package is already available to Blaenau Gwent.

Local Assembly Member Peter Law said: "The masterplan brings hope and it means people can see there will be a future."

Phillip Hooper, 54, a former steelworker of 24 years who now works in social care for Blaenau Gwent council, said: "Anything that will clean up the siteand bring jobs is to be welcomed."