Work has begun on the construction on DragonInternational Studios - dubbed Valleywood - in Wales.

The project, championed by Lord Attenborough, has been inthe pipeline for the last five years.

According to a report on the BBC, the finished projectwill boast 12 studios, ready to make the biggest blockbuster movies, a newmotorway junction and around 1,700 jobs.

The BBC quoted Lord Attenborough as saying: 'We havebeen talking to the local authorities, the Welsh Assembly Government, all sortsof planning operations, permissions to do this, permissions to do that, and soon and it has taken a long time

'It is a wonderful day for us, it is actual proof toall those doubting Thomases who said 'It will never happen' and, 'Oh, it issomebody's dream' - it is happening.'

Attenborough explained that the first wave of studios -the Dragon Plus section - would be ready by February 2006

'The degree of interest and the amount of offers tocome and work here is such that we could not wait for the main studios.

'These are five quick studios that will allow TVdrama and relatively small movies to come immediately.

'By the 1 October this year, we hope to have got ourdetailed planning permission for the main studios - seven more studios, one of30,000 square feet, two of 20,000 square feet and so on - but a whole complex,with restaurants, the studio village, that will be ready to go in spring 2007 -there is no doubt about that.

'These studios will be as good, as sophisticated, asaffordable as any studios in the world. They will be unique, they will have aquality of professional input second to no one in the world. "