The British

Where is The British?

The British is in Talywain and is the largest derelict industrial site remaining in South-East Wales.

Torfaen council bought the 1,300-acre site in 2016.

Phase 1 Works

Phase 1 focuses on the area known as “the Black Patch” and the “former iron works” to remove the health and safety risks posed by underground shafts and adits.

This has involved identifying the most dangerous structures and making them safe, as well as the creation of a new watercourse.

The watercourse will reduce the risk of surface flooding in the area and aid biodiversity on the site. A new pond will be created and this will be connected to a new above ground watercourse that will reduce the use of the deteriorating underground culverts.

Plans to redirect the Blaengafog stream Castle Wood watercourse south of Farm Road and the creation of a pond to store water, allowing a more controlled discharge of surface waters from the site into the existing culvert network were approved by Torfaen council on 27th March 2025. The plans also included associated remediation and landscaping works and repair/refurbishment works to the existing culvert.

You can view the plans on the Torfaen Planning Portal.

This first phase has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

Joint Venture Agreement

In July 2024, councillors gave officers the green light to enter into a legally-binding Development Agreement with socially focused company Idris, to explore the possible development of energy infrastructure and commercial land uses on the British.

The agreement will form the basis of how the council and Idris will work together, should the feasibility study prove there is the potential for an ambitious green energy generation project.

The study would include an assessment of different green energy sources on the site, including wind, solar and hydro, and employment opportunities, along with other ambitions.