A £58m initiative to boost low-carbon innovation and protect the steel industry in Neath Port Talbot has been backed by the Swansea Bay City Region for City Deal funding.
Having been approved by the region’s joint committee, it will now go to the 海角视频 and Welsh Governments in the hope of being signed off for backing from the £1.3m – with projected private funding for projects – City Deal.
The project proposes a national steel innovation centre to support the steel and metal sector and try to reduce its carbon footprint.
Tata's steelworks in Port Talbot currently employs around 4,000.
Also proposed is a Swansea Bay technology centre building at Baglan Energy Park for start-up companies and existing businesses, with a focus on research and development, innovation and information technology.
A third element is a production and office building at Port Talbot Waterfront Enterprise Zone, along with land remediation and new access roads.
The fourth and final element comprises decarbonisation projects, such as an electrical vehicle charging network and work to better predict air quality.
Ed Tomp, who represents the voice of the private sector on the Swansea Bay City Deal, said: “We were very impressed with Neath Port Talbot’s presentation.
Most Read
“We didn’t have any show-stopping concerns, we identified a number of opportunities, and we are quite happy to endorse this project.”
The council-led project aims to attract the bulk of the funding – £47.7m – from the 海角视频 and Welsh governments from the City Deal, with the balance coming from the private sector and local authority borrowing.
The hope is that it will create 446 new jobs over 15 years and safeguard nearly 900 more.
Rob Jones, the leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, said more renewable energy was produced in the county than any other in Wales and that the project would help build on this.
He added: “We’d urge the 海角视频 Government and Welsh Government to consider and approve this programme of projects as soon as possible, so we can start delivering for the benefit of residents and businesses.”
The Swansea Bay City Region covers the local authorities of Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.
Its City Deal aims to generate more than 9,000 jobs over 15 years.
Don’t miss
The business cases for two City Deal projects, the Swansea City and Waterfront Digital District and the Yr Egin creative and digital cluster in Carmarthen, have already been signed off by the 海角视频 and Welsh governments. As a result, the first City Deal funding tranche of £18m is now available.
Joint committee chairman Rob Stewart, who is also leader of Swansea Council, urged ministers in Cardiff Bay and Westminster to release future funding for the City Deal more quickly.
“We have held up our end of the bargain – we have done the work, the projects are really robust, and we want
to see approval as soon as possible,”
he said.