PLANS to build up to 1,000 homes in a major expansion of the village of Langstone - thrown out by Newport councillors five years ago - are being resurrected.

The scheme, which would also create a new village centre including a supermarket, community facilities and a new access off the A48, is vital if Newport's "desperate" housing situation is to be eased, backers claim.

Proposals from a consortium known as Oak Court Estates, which owns much of the land, takes in an area from the eastern side of the A449 across to Tregarn Road, though the most detailed plans concentrate on a section east of Catsash Road, some of which fronts the A48.

A mixture of homes is proposed, including retirement properties and affordable housing. The scheme will solve many of Langstone's problems, says Lindsay Williams, architect and partner for the Robertson Francis Partnership of chartered architects, which has drawn up plans on behalf of Oak Court Estates.

"Compared to Cardiff and other places, Newport is lagging behind in providing sufficient new housing," said Mr Williams, who described the site as the best in south Wales.

"The plans recently revealed for the Corus site and for the area around Llanwern involve a great deal of housing but that will take many years to provide.

"This project (Langstone) is so advanced we could get going within six months of consent."

Mr Williams said the plans include new infrastructure such as roads and drainage designed to ease or solve potential problems with traffic and flooding. Parts of Langstone, particularly around the Old Chepstow Road area, are susceptible to flooding.

The northern edge of the site follows a diagonal boundary from halfway along Catsash Road to a point on the Roman Road north west of Langstone county primary school. To date detailed proposals have only been made for the lower section.

Seven housing areas are proposed here, comprising around 350 homes and Mr Williams said this is the minimum plan for which the consortium will seek consent. "This scheme will deal with all of Langstone's problems, but there has to be a critical mass of development to support that," he said.

"We have bent over backwards to address concerns people may have. "Of course, our client is here to make money, but this scheme will benefit Newport."

The scheme's merits will be argued at the public inquiry into Newport council's Unitary Development Plan in June. Mr Williams said that if the planning inspector were to approve the principle of the scheme, it would constitute an outline planning permission.