The transformational North Wales Growth Deal that will create thousands of jobs and boost the economy for generations to come is one step closer.
North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB) met last week and gave its support to move forward with the five programmes and 14 projects that make up the £1bn Deal.
It is backed by £240million investment from both the Welsh and 海角视频 Governments.
These programmes cover low carbon energy, innovation in high-value manufacturing, agri-food and tourism, digital connectivity and land and property.
It includes the following 14 projects. (Project sponsor)
Centre for Environmental Biotechnology (Bangor University): The Centre will be a world-leading centre in the discovery and characterisation of novel extremophilic enzymes of industrial relevance.
Enterprise Engineering & Optics Centre (Glyndwr University): The centre will provide facilities (in Wrexham and St. Asaph) targeted to boost high level skills development for the region and enable SME’s and large businesses to work in partnership with Wrexham Glyndwr University on commercially driven research and development.
Tourism TALENT Network (Grwp Llandrillo Menai): The North Wales Tourism Talent Network aims to stimulate public-private collaboration on skills and product development to accelerate the growth of the tourism and hospitality sector in the region.
Glynllifon Rural Economy Hub (Grŵp Llandrillo Menai):
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Create a distinctive, world-class hub, offering a range of facilities and services to strengthen and enhance the regional economy, specifically through growing the food and drink sector.
The Llysfasi Carbon Neutral Centre (Coleg Cambria): Aims to lead North Wales to a resilient future where carbon neutral land management is at the centre of a developing renewable energy sector
Holyhead Gateway (Stena Line):
Future proof the Holyhead Port by providing new deep-water heavy loading and cruise facilities, improved vehicular access and guaranteeing the future of the breakwater.
Regional Land and Property (Ambition Board): Help bring forward five key sites.
A: Denbigh Hospital Site: The Growth Deal funding will assist in the delivery of a cleared and remediated site with primary services.
B: Bodelwyddan Strategic Site: A mixed use commercial and residential development site of 137 hectares. The Growth Deal funding will provide the primary services to enable the site to be bought to the market for development.
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C: Parc Bryn Cegin Strategic Site, Bangor: Provide industrial floor space to meet known demand for units.
D: Wrexham Gateway: Growth Deal funding will provide the necessary statutory consents and deliver primary services to enable the site to be bought to the market for sale and development.
E: Warren Hall Strategic Site(Flintshire): Growth Deal funding will provide the necessary statutory consents and deliver primary services to enable the 65-hectare mixed use site to be bought to the market for sale and then development by the private sector.
Digital Connectivity Project (Ambition Board): Four elements:
A: Full fibre connectivity (gigabit capable) to 28 key business sites across NWEAB.
B: Accelerate the development of Connected Campuses at 19 key regional economic sites. It is estimated some 2,600 business premises will have access to high bandwidth 5G and low power Wi-Fi services once complete.
C: Road (like A55) and rail corridor will be connected to 5G/Low Power Wireless Access Networks.
D: Connecting the last few: This project targets universal superfast coverage across North Wales. Up to 10,100 residential and 4,300 business premises with will access to superfast broadband once complete.
Digital Signal Processing Centre Project (Bangor University): The project will bring together Bangor University researchers to work alongside high-profile international companies and Welsh SMEs enabling them to work together to explore disruptive solutions for 5G.
Morlais (Menter Môn):
Constructing the infrastructure that connects the Morlais Zone with the electricity grid system, readying the site for private sector developers investing to lease parts of the zone for deploying tidal energy technologies. This would position the zone as the first consented, expandable and technology-agnostic site in the world with up to 180 MW of potential.
Trawsfynydd Power Station (Cwmni Egino):
The Growth Deal will contribute funding towards enabling infrastructure for the development of a SMR Small Modular Reactor (SMR) or Advanced Modular Reactor.
Low Carbon Energy Centre of Excellence (Bangor University): Developing infrastructure at Bangor University and Menai Science Park, enhancing the North Wales and 海角视频 capabilities for innovation in low carbon energy.
Smart Local Energy (Ambition Board): Project will support innovative enabling projects and demonstrators that overcome market failures and unlock private and community sector investments in smart local energy solutions.
Transport Decarbonisation (Ambition Board): Support delivery of a demonstrator project involving the production of green hydrogen from low carbon energy sources and its use within regional transport networks.
The Deal has now been submitted to both the 海角视频 and Welsh Governments for consideration, with a final decision expected before the end of the year.
Work on the projects will begin in 2021.
'Major Milestone'
Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn, Ambition Board chair and leader of Gwynedd County Council, said this was a “major milestone” after years of hard work and collaboration between the region’s local authorities, colleges, universities and private sector representatives, with support from both governments and national stakeholders.
“The Growth Deal has been developed to deliver long-lasting positive investment and change that will enable economic and employment growth for the long-term,” he said.
Driven by the Ambition Board’s Portfolio Management Office, based at Conwy Business Centre in Llandudno Junction, the three main objectives of the wider Growth Vision for North Wales are to create up to 4,200 new jobs by 2036, support an uplift of £2bn-2.4bn for the economy over that same period, and deliver total investment of up to £1.1bn.
Portfolio Director Alwen Williams is confident the business cases put forward to both governments will meet these targets and spark a sustainable economic and social resurgence when the country needs it most.
She said: "We recognise and value our obligation to deliver the Growth Deal in a way that improves and enhances our social, cultural, environmental and economic well-being and look forward to leading this important investment in our home and our region - North Wales.”
Askar Sheibani, chair of the Ambition Board’s Business Delivery Group, believes connectivity between communities is going to be key as momentum grows.
“The Growth Deal will invest in the region’s digital infrastructure,” he said.
“This is essential and underpins economic growth. Accessible and reliable high-speed fibre broadband and 5G capability throughout the whole of North Wales is essential.”
Jim Jones, chair of North Wales Mersey Dee Business Council, added: “A Deal that delivers on supporting business and productivity growth for both our home grown SMEs and the international businesses based in North Wales – in our key sectors of manufacturing, tourism and hospitality, agriculture and energy - has the potential to make a once in a lifetime positive impact for us all.”
Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart welcomed the positive steps made in past weeks, and said: “It is a huge opportunity to transform the region and help rebalance the Welsh economy and that is why 海角视频 Government is committing £120million to the deal.
"Working hand in hand with local government and business, we will continue to develop the Growth Deal and ensure it unleashes the full potential of North Wales.”
Minister for Economy and North Wales Ken Skates added: “This is now more important than ever in these very challenging times. I'd like to thank all the partners for their hard work in reaching this stage. We'll now work with the 海角视频 Government so we can progress the next steps as quickly as possible.”