North Wales in line for more than 3,400 new jobs through newly announced AI Growth Zone, as the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary set out plans to ensure sites deliver for working people.
- North Wales in line for more than 3,400 new jobs through newly announced AI Growth Zone, as the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary set out plans to ensure sites deliver for working people
- AI Growth Zone uniquely positioned with the potential to leverage the UK's first small modular reactor in Wylfa - bringing together the technologies of the future in North Wales
- Reforms to planning and energy access to accelerate development to unlock up to £100 billion of additional investment, creating thousands of jobs across the country
AI Growth Zones will be central to regenerating local communities and delivering new opportunities across the country - under new plans set out by the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary today as they confirm a new site for North Wales.
First announced by the Prime Minister in January, AI Growth Zones are designed to be hubs for AI development . Bringing together the key building blocks of AI from processing power to research expertise, they will unlock a wave of innovations that will transform lives for people across the country - from new ways to treat and beat disease to making industry cleaner and greener.
New reforms announced today on planning, energy access, and the provision of expert government support will help to accelerate AI Growth Zone development, delivering on the commitments in the AI Opportunities Action Plan .
Ensuring the sites deliver for working people, £5 million in support will also be set aside for each AI Growth Zone at a local level for business adoption and skills. The money will be funnelled into regions to help accelerate economic growth, boost local research and development efforts, and support regional AI firms from start-up to scale-up. Taken together, these interventions will unlock up to £100 billion in additional investment into the AI Growth Zone programme creating thousands of jobs and helping give people the AI skills they need at work.
This comes as North Wales is announced as the home of 2 major infrastructure projects today - the UK's latest AI Growth Zone joining the first small modular reactor project which will be sited at Wylfa . Subject to contract, the initial project will be for 3 small modular reactors, but Great British Energy-Nuclear assesses the site could potentially host up to 8 mini reactors. The ambition is for Wylfa's small modular reactors to be supplying power to the grid from the mid-2030s.
Today's announcements highlight how the government's Modern Industrial Strategy is being put into action to spark national renewal for communities, using tools which have been built and designed on British shores.
A total of 3,450 jobs are now poised to come online in North Wales as a direct result of this new AI Growth Zone, covering temporary and constructions roles through to high-paid careers in AI research and development. This brings the total number of jobs announced for the area today to nearly 6,500.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:
We said we'd make AI work for Britain - and now we're putting our money where our mouth is.
These Growth Zones aren't an abstract conception; they're about thousands of jobs, real investment, and change for communities that have been short-changed for too long.
In North Wales, that means thousands of new roles and £5 million to boost skills and help local businesses adopt AI. This is delivery, not dithering - and it's happening now.
Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, said:
AI Growth Zones will be a game-changer for our communities and will bring thousands of new jobs and millions of pounds in investment right to the places that need it most.
We will make sure people have the skills they need so they can fully realise the opportunities that AI presents - helping to nurture the tech leaders of tomorrow and supporting our economy with a rich pool of talent.
AI will help us deliver the growth, prosperity and renewal as we build a future that works for all. This is an investment in our future - powered by our communities, businesses and world-class tech talent - to cement Britain's place as a global leader in AI.
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.
This is a hugely significant step forward in our central mission to kickstart economic growth, create well-paid jobs and unlock opportunity in the industries of the future.
The AI Growth Zone site straddles the Menai Strait, with a base at Prosperity Parc on Anglesey and another at Trawsfynydd in the heart of Gwynedd.
Work is already underway to secure an investment partner to help deliver the AI Growth Zone site, and construction work will then swing into action once a deal has been confirmed, expected in the coming months.
Other reforms covering energy and planning announced today include:
- new measures to speed up the delivery of AI Growth Zones in England by slashing approval times from years to months. Zones across Great Britain will also be given priority access to the available capacity on the energy grid so they can power up innovation without delay
- an AI planning team backed by £4.5 million will support local councils across the UK with expert advice and funding, making it easier for them to plan and approve new AI Infrastructure
- data centres in AI Growth Zones will get significant discounts on their electricity bills, if they are located in areas that could help to reduce the pressures on the energy network
- developers could be supported to connect their own high voltage lines and substations to power their data centres - rather than waiting for network operators to do it - driving down costs and accelerating progress
In the longer-term, AI Growth Zones will also support the creation of regional adoption hubs - funnelling money into the use and deployment of AI in the public services the public rely on every day.
Getting spades in the ground as quickly as possible to deliver these transformations for local communities is vital. Planning guidance has today been updated to give AI infrastructure projects priority. This will slash waiting times from over 4 years to as little as 2, with a dedicated team of AI planning experts also being set up to streamline the approvals process.
Priority access will also be given to AI Growth Zones as they hook up to the grid, ensure sites have the power they need to drive forward innovation and growth. Investors in sites will also be given the freedom to develop their own solutions for boosting power capacity on-location, with projects that help to reduce overall costs for the wider energy network being given dedicated pricing support.
3 sites have already been announced in the 11 months since the launch of the AI Opportunities Action Plan , with further announcements expected to follow in the coming months.
Notes
The AI Growth Zone is led by a consortium including Stena Line and a number of regional bodies including Isle of Anglesey County Council and Bangor University.
The near 6,500 new jobs confirmed today are as a result of both the AI Growth Zone and Small Modular Reactor projects. The SMR project will deliver 3,000 jobs at peak construction, with the remainder being supported by the new North Wales AI Growth Zone.
The £100 billion figure is based on the impact these reforms will have in terms or accelerating the delivery of projects. We estimate this will enable the delivery of an additional 4GW of capacity which would equate to £109 billion in investment.
