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TWO major land deals are expected to bring 1,000 jobs to the Valleys, it was announced today. Details of two new shopping developments in Merthyr Tydfil, worth a total of pounds 55m and involving a town centre shopping mall and Tesco superstore, together with an edge-of-town retail park, were National Assembly's Economic Development Minister Andrew Davies.

Describing it as ``a momentous day for Merthyr'', county borough council leader Ray Thomas said the deals were a vital boost to the town, and its prosperity. ``These developments will bring significant benefits to the local economy,'' he said.

The Welsh Development Agency (WDA) says that besides creating 1,000 jobs, the deals will unlock developments that will secure the town's status as a regional commercial centre and inject new life into the heart of the town. The schemes will see the long-awaited development of the town centre Station Yard site, which is now a temporary car park, and the Waterglades site at Swansea Road, where a retail and leisure development had been blocked for several years amid a land deal wrangle.

The conclusion of a District Audit probe and an out-of-court settlement into the latter, which was reached after the original developers Highstar started High Court action over legal contracts for the sale of land, has paved the way for today's announcement. But neither a swimming pool nor a Sainsbury's store feature in the new proposals.

The 30-acre Waterglades site is being sold to Grantchester Plc, one of Britain's leading retail property development companies, for a 235,000 square foot retail centre.

And the WDA has agreed the sale of land at Station Yard to developers Sylfaen Ltd and Tesco Stores Ltd for a two-storey glazed, arcade-style shopping mall, linked to the town's High Street, and a superstore. The company says that several leading UK retail chains are interested. Planning applications are anticipated soon by the local authority. Announcing the deals, Mr Davies said: ``This investment is an important vote of confidence in Merthyr Tydfil, and will go a long way to help rebuild and stimulate the economy of the town.''

CAPTION(S):

PROPOSAL An artist's impression of a planned retail park.