Council Budget

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6. Swansea Bay City Deal

Estimated to attract up to £1.3 billion of investment by 2033 the Swansea Bay City Deal is a unique portfolio of projects funded by the Welsh Government and UK Government, the public sector, and the private sector. Through collaborative working across the counties of Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, and Pembrokeshire, the City Deal will create over 9,000 well-paid job opportunities and help economic recovery by contributing over £1.8 billion to the regional economy.

Created to transform and regenerate South West Wales, the City Deal is made up of 9 headline projects and programmes that will improve people’s lives in both rural and urban areas across the region by raising aspirations, creating jobs, improving services and boosting skills. Buildings will be constructed that will support businesses to incubate and grow, and supply chain opportunities will be developed.

Set to align with three core themes – economic acceleration, energy and smart manufacturing, and life science and wellbeing - the Swansea Bay City Deal has already seen significant progress through several of its projects during 2023.

The three regional projects have been gathering pace. The Skills and Talent programme has now approved 17 pilot projects, which see our schools, colleges, universities, local authorities, and private sector companies working together to provide skills/training for young people in sectors such as Digital, Smart Manufacturing and Green Construction. The Homes as Power Stations (HAPS) project which is enabling energy efficient designs and renewable technologies into homes has launched its Financial Incentives Fund and delivered energy efficient technologies into 200 HAPS homes representing a total investment of £42m. The Digital Infrastructure programme continued to improve the digital landscape, exceeding its private sector investment expectations by £14.56m, and commencing the 5G Innovation Fund.

The six location-based projects are also progressing well and positively impacting our region. Yr Egin, the digital and creative sector hub in Carmarthen, celebrated its fifth year of operation with an anniversary event hosted by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Also in Carmarthenshire, the construction of the multi-million-pound Pentre Awel project is on track, demonstrating the size and scale of Phase one with the groundworks complete and steel structure in place.

Swansea Arena celebrated its first full year of operation with hundreds of thousands of visitors attending major performances, conferences, events and graduation ceremonies. Construction is progressing on the Swansea Council’s 71/72 Kingsway office development and UWTSD Innovation Matrix project at SA1. The Campuses project, also in Swansea, has formed key relationships with companies in the health and wellbeing sector ready for procurements. Led by Swansea University, the project has also utilised funding opportunities available for a Skills and Talent pilot project and been awarded £1.5 million from the Digital Infrastructure programmes 5G Innovation Fund.

The Pembroke Dock Marine project has made significant progress with the refurbishment of the Historic Hangar Annexes, the construction of the slipway and pontoon, and the development of vast laydown space, with elements of all three completed on schedule.

Finally, our Supporting Innovation and Low Carbon Growth programme in Neath Port Talbot has seen the opening of its award-winning energy positive Bay Technology Centre and reviewed applications for its Property Development Fund. It has also appointed a contractor for its SWITCH project and began installation of its new 100kW Hydrogen Electrolyser at the Baglan Hydrogen Centre.