North Wales has been confirmed as the site of an Artificial Intelligence growth zone that will straddle the Menai Strait, with bases at Prosperity Parc on Anglesey and at Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd. The UK government said the project could deliver more than 3,400 jobs. Work is already under way to secure an investment partner to help deliver the site, and construction will begin once a deal has been confirmed. The growth zone is being led by a consortium including Stena Line and regional partners such as Isle of Anglesey County Council and Bangor University.
The government framed Artificial Intelligence growth zones as hubs that bring together the building blocks of AI from processing power to research expertise. New reforms on planning, energy access and the provision of expert government support are intended to speed development. Each growth zone will receive £5 million to support business adoption and skills locally, and the government said the package of interventions could unlock up to £100 billion in additional investment for the programme. Other measures include priority access to available grid capacity for zones, a £4.5 million Artificial Intelligence planning team to help local councils plan and approve infrastructure, discounts on energy bills for qualifying data centres, and support for developers to connect high voltage lines and substations where appropriate.
The announcement followed another North Wales development: the selection of Wylfa as the proposed site for the first small modular reactor project, subject to contract. The initial project would be for three small modular reactors, with the site assessed as potentially able to host up to eight, and an ambition for power supply to the grid from the mid 2030s. Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said: “North Wales is already home to a thriving and growing tech industry, and this announcement will supercharge the sector, delivering over 3,000 good jobs and bringing in millions in investment.” First Minister Eluned Morgan added that a growth zone in North Wales is critical to drive investment and ensure Wales is at the forefront of the technology.
