A HUGE regeneration plan for the site of Ebbw Vale's former tinplate works could be thrown into confusion if some buildings are sold off separately.

The Corus works closed last month, and the steel giant has offered Blaenau Gwent council first refusal on six Grade I listed buildings called the general offices.

The asking price is £250,000 each and the authority has 28 days to express an interest but the cost of repairing the buildings could be much greater.

Council leader Councillor John Hopkins said the buildings would cost at least £1 million each to renovate because they were in such bad repair. He claimed the money would have to come from a £50 million regeneration package offered by the National Assembly. He said: "It's a bit rich when they write to us offering us 28 days in which to 'show an interest' when we are showing an interest in a master plan being drawn up for the whole site.

"They are going to cherry-pick the best properties on the site and sell them off individually while we draw up our master plan. I strongly urge them not to do that."

If the council, or their partners in the regeneration project, do not buy the buildings, they could be sold to other bidders, leaving planners with big problems.

The strategic design for the site will be completed in January, and it is expected to include a learning campus and a £30 million hospital.

In the meantime parts of the site - areas of potential development - could be sold to the highest bidder.

Blaenau Gwent AM Peter Law (pictured) said: "This is an absolute disgrace and an insult to the people of a community who have been caused much trauma and great hardship by the dispassionate approach of Corus, which has stolen the identity of the community."

A spokesman for Corus said: "The facts are that Corus has offered to sell the general offices at Ebbw Vale to Blaenau Gwent council at market value. This follows the promise to give the council first refusal."