£21.2 million for regenerating Port Talbot

The Tata Steel/ Port Talbot Transition Board, shared by Welsh secretary Jo Stevens, has announced £21.2 million for three new regeneration projects, set to bring an estimated £119 million in gross value added (GVA) benefits to the local economy.

The first project is the creation of an Advanced Manufacturing Production Facility (AMPF) and a National Net Zero Skills Centre of Excellence, which will receive £12.5 million to help create a £35 million production and training centre to boost low carbon and net zero skills training, which makes it one of three projects contributing to the establishment of an Innovation District in the Harbourside. THE AMPF, alongside the National Net Zero Centre of Excellence, will additionally support 170 jobs and ad generated a GVA of £39.1 million.

The other two projects involve the redevelopment of Metal Box and Sandfields Business Centre, which will expand two existing buildings in order to provide accommodation to enable tenants to expand and improve access to new business units. There is a significant demand for business space in Neath Port Talbot, which this funding will allow. The Transition Board will award £8.7 million of funding in total, with £6.9 million for Metal Box and £1.8 million for Sandfields Business Centre.

Both of these redevelopments are expected to bring in £29.5 million in GVA by 2035, as well as support 101 jobs.

The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board, since the first projects received funding in August 2024, has announced more than £70 million to fund skills training for workers and regeneration projects as Tat Steel carries out its transition to electric arc steelmaking.

Secretary of state for Wales, Jo Stevens, said: “We said we would back the steelworkers of Port Talbot, their families and businesses dependent on Tata Steel.

“This latest investment means more than £70 million has been announced by the Transition Board in just nine months, delivering on our promise to the community.

“The plans for the Celtic Freeport, development of floating offshore wind, preservation of steelmaking in the town and significant funding for regeneration all mean there is a bright future for Port Talbot.”

This comes part of the government’s £2.5 billion investment to rebuild the UK’s steel industry for the future as it decarbonises.