Business
£8.2 million for Port Talbot regeneration—what it means for West Wales
THE FIRST of Port Talbot’s growth and regeneration projects is set to receive £8.2 million from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board, marking a significant step towards revitalizing the local economy.
This investment is expected to support over 100 jobs and ultimately contribute more than £87 million to the South Wales economy. To date, the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board has allocated £51 million into the local community, with further projects anticipated.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens, chairing the latest Transition Board meeting today (February 6), will announce that £8.2 million will be directed to the South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub (SWITCH). This initiative will redevelop a four-acre site at Harbourside, Port Talbot, incorporating new shared space, flood mitigation measures, and specialist equipment. The investment aims to establish an Innovation District that will assist the steel and metal industry in reducing carbon emissions. The facility is projected to generate and sustain over 100 jobs while bolstering the South Wales economy by £87 million.

This funding is part of the UK Government’s £80 million Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund, which has already allocated £51 million since July. The latest announcement is the first targeted at regional growth and regeneration, with up to £30 million more expected to be invested in similar projects in the coming months.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens emphasized the government’s commitment to supporting Port Talbot’s community through Tata Steel’s transition.
“We said we would back the community of Port Talbot through Tata Steel’s transition, and we continue to do exactly that,” she said. “In just six months, over £50 million has been announced to support individual steelworkers, their families, and businesses in the supply chain. Now, we are investing in a major regeneration project for the town.”
She added that millions more in funding will follow, ensuring continued support for steel communities amid ongoing industrial changes.
The Secretary of State also confirmed efforts to enhance mental health and well-being services, with funding details to be announced at the next Transition Board meeting. The initiative will focus on community cohesion, well-being programs, and peer support networks, including partnerships with local organizations.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy, and Planning Rebecca Evans welcomed the funding, stating, “This announcement builds on investments unlocked through the recent Celtic Freeport and other initiatives we are supporting in and around Port Talbot. Working alongside our Transition Board partners, we will continue to provide opportunities for growth while ensuring support for those impacted by Tata Steel’s changes.”
Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt, also praised the investment, noting its role in attracting jobs and industry to the region: “The SWITCH project will build on our area’s longstanding expertise in the steel and metals industries, helping to address modern challenges and secure future employment.”
Professor Helen Griffiths, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at Swansea University, highlighted the importance of collaboration, stating, “SWITCH will strengthen Swansea University’s role in uniting academia, industry, and government. This investment will make Welsh research and innovation more accessible to businesses and help stimulate long-term economic growth.”
The SWITCH project, dedicated to industrial decarbonization, will establish a permanent base at Harbourside, adding to its existing £20 million funding from the Swansea Bay City Deal, which also benefits from UK Government support.
What this means for West Wales
This initiative aligns with broader regional development strategies, including the Celtic Freeport, which links Port Talbot and Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire. The Celtic Freeport, which received approval for its full business case in October 2024, aims to attract investment into low-carbon energy projects, create jobs, and contribute significantly to South Wales’ economic transition.
Key connections between the initiatives include:
- Regional economic impact: The Celtic Freeport is projected to generate £900 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2030 and £13 billion by 2050, complementing the Port Talbot project’s goal of injecting £87 million into the South Wales economy.
- Decarbonization focus: The SWITCH project will support the steel and metal industry in reducing carbon emissions, aligning with the Celtic Freeport’s emphasis on low-carbon technologies, including floating offshore wind, hydrogen, and carbon capture.
- Investment and innovation: The Celtic Freeport aims to attract £3.5 billion in investment for the hydrogen sector, while the Port Talbot Innovation District will serve as a hub for industrial research and development.
- Government backing: Both projects receive support from the UK and Welsh governments, reflecting a coordinated effort to foster economic regeneration.
- Energy transition: With Milford Haven already processing around 20% of the UK’s energy needs, both initiatives contribute to the country’s broader shift towards sustainable energy solutions.
By linking these initiatives, stakeholders can emphasize a holistic approach to economic regeneration, decarbonization, and job creation across South Wales, ensuring a sustainable future for communities from Port Talbot to Milford Haven.
Business
Rosemarket Dawn Till Dusk golf club 18-hole plans lodged
A CALL to extend a long-established Pembrokeshire golf club, bringing it up to a full 18 holes, has been submitted to county planners.
In the application, Mr and Mrs Young, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, seek a change of use of land adjoining the Dawn Till Dusk Golf Club, Furze Hill Farm, Bastleford Road, Rosemarket, to form an extension to the existing golf course, along with landscaping and associated works.
A supporting statement through the agent says: “The application seeks full planning permission for the enlargement of the existing golf course to provide an additional six holes, to provide a total of 18 holes.
“The proposal would involve minor landscaping works to the fields and boundaries and the creation of a small number of ponds and bunkers. The extension would be located on land to the west of Furze Hill Farm and on the opposite side of the road to the existing golf course and clubhouse.
“An altered access to the land parcel is proposed as part of this application, which would provide an improved route for users crossing the public highway to avoid conflict with movements at the main entrance.
“The application site exceeds 1ha and therefore the proposal is considered major development necessitating a Pre-Application Consultation prior to formally submitting the planning application to the Local Planning Authority.”
It adds: “The existing golf course has operated in excess of 30 years and is popular with both visitors and locals. Club membership currently stands at approximately 350 and there is demand for enhancing the provisions of the course.
“The applicants’ sons have recently increased their involvement in the enterprise and in recent years wet winter months have necessitated the closure of the course, or parts of it, due to the ground becoming waterlogged, primarily due to the flat nature of the existing course.
“The extension would provide variation to the terrain, providing, dryer conditions, as well as the ability to alternate between the existing and proposed to maintain use, enhancing the viability of the enterprise.”
The application will be considered by Pembrokeshire County Council planners at a later date.
Business
Plans to rebuild arson hit building at farm with one of largest sheep flocks in Wales
A CALL to rebuild a fire-damaged Pembrokeshire farm building, as a family home to help manage one of the largest sheep flocks in Wales, has been submitted to the national park.
In the application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, D B Davies and Sons through agent Harries Planning Design Management, with a supporting statement by Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd, seek permission to renovate an existing fire-damaged dwelling, together with the conversion and extension of outbuildings to form an agricultural worker’s dwelling at Mynydd Du, Rosebush.
The supporting statement through Reading Agricultural Consultants Ltd says Mynydd Du is part of a wider holding which includes Eisteddfa Fawr and land around the village of Brynberian, the farms approximately six km apart, with land under control of the applicant amounting to some 1,500 acres, with a further 3,000 acres of Preseli mountain common land also used; the land accommodating a 5,000-ewe flock with 10 suckler cows and followers.
It says DB Davies & Sons Unlimited, has five partners: the two Davies brothers, Berian and Ken; their wives; and Berian’s son, Dyfed.
Berian and Ken are in their late 70s, with most of the heavy work on the farm is undertaken by Dyfed.
Dyfed and his wife Megan are first language Welsh speakers, living some 10 km away in Nevern, while Berian and Ken, and their wives, live at Eisteddfa Fawr, Brynberian.
The dwelling at Mynydd Du, where most sheep are now wintered, is structurally sound and repairable but has been unoccupied since 1990, and was subject to arson circa 2013, the statement says.
It says Dyfed works full-time on the farm, alone with increasing frequency as the older business members are above retirement age, working “long hours out of necessity to undertake all the work associated with one of the largest flocks of sheep in Wales”.
“His working hours are extended further due to the fact that he lives remote (6kms) from the main block of land at Tyllosg, where Mynydd Du is situated in the centre of the farm. Travelling back and forth several times each day during lambing and other times during poor weather, to check on flock welfare is an arduous task and can be dangerous, particularly if driving when tired during inclement conditions.”
The statement adds: “The application seeks permission to repair the fire damaged dwelling at Mynydd Du and bring it back to serve a useful purpose to enable Dyfed to closely monitor the ewes, not only at lambing, but throughout the year when the flock is grazing on the adjacent common land.
“It will also enable Dyfed to be with his partner and young child on a more regular basis than simply at the end of a long day when he is away from their current home, tending the sheep at Mynydd Du.”
The application will be considered by park planners at a later date.
Business
Herald expands sales team as Milford Haven growth drives demand
THE PEMBROKEHIRE HERALD is launching a recruitment drive to bring in two new sales executives as the newspaper continues to grow its commercial operations across the county.
The move comes as the Herald strengthens its position as the leading independent news platform in West Wales, with increasing demand from local businesses looking to advertise both in print and online.
The expansion is being driven in part by the rapid growth of Milford Haven and the wider energy sector, with major investment in green energy projects, port activity and associated industries creating new opportunities for local businesses.
As the area continues to develop as a key energy hub, more companies are seeking to reach customers, partners and the wider community through trusted local media.
The successful candidates will work directly with Pembrokeshire businesses, helping them promote their services to a growing audience through the Herald’s expanding digital reach and established print readership.
Editor Tom Sinclair said the recruitment reflects both the changing local economy and the Herald’s increasing audience.
He said: “Milford Haven is expanding rapidly, particularly with new energy and green projects coming forward, and that’s creating real opportunities for local businesses.
“At the same time, our audience continues to grow across both our website and social media platforms, meaning we can now offer advertisers a much bigger and more effective platform than ever before.”
The new roles will focus on building relationships with local firms, developing advertising campaigns, and identifying new opportunities across sectors including tourism, retail, trades, energy and professional services.
The Herald has continued to invest in its digital platforms, including Herald.Wales, alongside its well-established print edition, offering advertisers a multi-platform approach to reaching customers.
The recruitment drive also comes at a time when many local businesses are looking for cost-effective ways to promote themselves amid ongoing economic pressures.
Mr Sinclair added: “Local advertising matters. When businesses advertise locally, that money stays in the local economy. It helps create jobs, supports families and helps communities grow alongside the businesses within them.”
The roles are expected to appeal to motivated, target-driven individuals with strong communication skills and an interest in media, sales or marketing.
Both positions are based in Pembrokeshire, with opportunities for training and career progression within the Herald’s growing media group.
Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to email [email protected] with a CV and covering letter before Tuesday (Apr 1, 2026).
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