US company Vantage Data Centers is looking to deliver another major data centre project in Wales.
The company, which already operates a data centre campus on the outskirts of and has plans for a 10-data-centre complex at the former Ford engine plant in , has now secured approval for another scheme at the Welsh Government-owned Bro Tathan business park in St Athan, in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Vale of Glamorgan Council has granted planning consent for a development with a 120-megawatt storage capacity.
The was asked to comment, including whether it intends to enter into a land deal with Vantage or arrange a lease for the site. However, it said it could not comment, citing commercial sensitivities. Vantage said it didn’t have any additional comments to provide at this time.
This latest project follows Vantage’s submission in June of its plans for the Ford engine plant site to Bridgend County Council.
If approved, the scheme could eventually see a cluster of 10 data centres built over a 10 to 15-year period at a site just two miles from Bridgend town centre, along with three electricity substations. The campus would be roughly four times the capacity and size of Vantage’s existing site. Once operational, it is projected to support 600 jobs and generate around £8.3m annually in business rates for the local authority.
Vantage said the campus will be net zero by 2030, powered by renewable energy, using minimal water, and capable of providing waste heat to local heating networks.
Earlier this year, Vantage announced plans to invest £12bn in the Ƶ, with Wales expected to receive the lion’s share of that investment.
Subject to planning consents and the necessary National Grid connections, the company said the expansion would create 11,500 jobs, of which around 10,000 would be construction related, with 1,500 roles at the data centres themselves.
The expansion is being driven by the increasing adoption of AI. The administration previously said it has been working closely with the US firm since 2020 to support the development of its data centres in Wales.
Wales is also set to host a Ƶ Government-backed AI investment zone. While its location has yet to be confirmed, it could potentially include Vantage’s planned data centre projects in Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan.
Vantage is also appraising over sites in South Wales for potential further data centre investment.
The planning process for the Bro Tathan data centre project was overseen by CarneySweeney.
The company said:“We acted on the application from the pre-application stage, liaising with the local planning authority, submitting an environmental impact assessment screening request (successfully arguing the development did not warrant an EIA), and coordinating and submitting the application.
“It was a challenging site due to PFAS levels in the soil, the presence of defence structures associated with WWII, and the presence of dormice and their habitat. The application was closely monitored, and we responded to consultee comments throughout the process.
“We also engaged in detailed discussions with the local planning authority regarding Section 106 requirements, negotiating these down to necessary and acceptable levels. The application was approved at committee for 120 megawatts of data storage.”
