If you'd travelled to Newport by train from England only a few years you would've noticed Llanwern steelworks. The huge industrial complex on the east side of the city dominated the landscape - and the employment prospects for many local families.
The steelworks are now all but gone and plans for a £1bn project to transform the site have been lodged with Newport City Council.
The plans could see 4,000 homes and 6,000 jobs if the scheme is approved. Regional manager of St Modwen Developments, Rupert Joseland, said: "We believe that our proposals provide an exciting opportunity for this derelict brownfield site."
He agreed there would be concerns over increased traffic on the existing Southern Distributor Road but said the plans included improving access and building new junctions on the SDR. He added that the plans were for about 200 homes to be built each year for 20 years, so the effects on traffic and facilities would be gradual.
The site would house a mix of apartments, town houses and luxury detached homes, with about 800 homes dedicated as 'affordable housing', aimed at the elderly and first-time buyers. Most of the £1bn for developing the scheme would come from the sale of the homes.
Of the 6,000 jobs, 1,800 would be in construction with others created as a direct result of the demand for trades because of such a large development, as well as those in the industrial units included as part of the plan.
St Modwen promised local people would be employed in the reclamation work, which Mr Joseland said could start before the end of this year, if the scheme gets the go ahead.
Metals are present on the land but St Modwen are confident they will not cause a problem as the site will be capped with a half-metre surface of soil and the water course protected.
Any potential flooding risk has been dealt with by the planned creation of three linked lakes, to act as a drain for surface water. It is understood the Environment Agency supports the proposals.
Water from the village would also be pumped into the Severn Estuary under an existing licence, while soil dug to create the lakes would be re-used on-site.
Plots of between five and 10 acres will be sold off to house building companies, who could start work next year.
One hundred acres of the 600-acre site would be devoted to employment space such as offices, factories and warehouses. Two primary schools, shops, bars, restaurants and convenience stores would be included in the district centre.
Council leader Bob Bright said the application showed confidence in a city of enterprise and innovation, demonstrating how far it had come in a short time. "Just five years ago the Llanwern site was the scene of devastating job losses. Today this site stands as a symbol of Newport's exciting future," he said.
Public exhibitions are being held at the exam hall of the University of Wales College Newport campus, Nash Road on Monday and from 10am-5pm at Newport Centre, Kingsway, so you can pop along and see what you think.
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