Construction work has started on a new £12m office development in Cross Hands. The site, located at Cross Hands East strategic employment site, is being backed by Welsh Government in partnership with Carmarthenshire County Council.
Once completed the 32,500 sq ft building will have low carbon offices, light industrial units and hybrid spaces for letting across three buildings.
A £5.9m investment has been made by the Welsh Government in the project as well as funding contributions by Carmarthenshire County Council and net-zero building consultant Active Building Centre.
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In addition, £3.25m funding has also been awarded to the project by the European Regional Development Fund, through the Welsh Government. The main contractor for the development is Andrew Scott.
The building will generate electricity using on-site renewables and have high levels of insulation to reduce running costs. The aim is to achieve 'net zero carbon in-use standard', which would see the development produce enough renewable energy to meet the lighting and heating needs of the buildings.
The Cross Hands East employment site comprises a large programme of infrastructure works delivered over two phases.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said the site will provide modern commercial space for businesses to grow in the local area.
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Mr Gething said: "The Welsh Government is taking decisive action to tackle the climate change crisis, so that we build a better green future for our country. We’re also working hard to deliver the supercharged green industries of the future that will help create high-quality jobs for people in their local communities.
He added: "Delivering first-class business spaces is central to that vision – and it’s vital we do this in a way which contributes to our decarbonisation aspirations. This new development does exactly that, by demonstrating superb low carbon credentials. With the support of the Active Building Centre, I hope it can become a launchpad for further low carbon employment space, promote new technologies and provide essential data on the benefits low carbon buildings can deliver.”
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Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Cllr Gareth John said: "We are pleased to deliver these high-quality commercial premises, which will bring much needed employment space to the area. This investment by Carmarthenshire County Council and Welsh Government demonstrates our desire to continue the development of Carmarthenshire’s Strategic Employment Site.”
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen said: "This development is a clear indicator of the action the Council is taking to meet its net zero carbon 2030 commitment.
"We are pleased to be delivering such a significant demonstrator project, which has the potential to lead the way in terms of highly sustainable commercial buildings. The fabric first design approach and innovative technologies integrated into the buildings are methods which the construction sector must adopt to play their part in reversing the climate emergency."
The Active Building Centre’s Chief Operating Officer Andy Perry said: "As a company born in Wales, we are proud to have worked on this exciting project. We hope it can be used as a framework for other sites; especially as it showcases what can and should be done to help tackle the challenge of net zero.
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"Designing integrated structures and energy systems to be part of the solution around decarbonisation, with active technologies built in from the start, will mean that our buildings are not just users of energy but will play an integral part in meeting the challenges of climate change."
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