LLANELLI: Wetland centre to get £400k makeover — but visitors warned of disruption

WWT Llanelli Wetland Centre has secured funding to completely transform its entrance and visitor centre, promising a “more welcoming and accessible” experience for families.

The project, backed by Welsh Government cash and council support, will see the front of the centre redesigned with new pathways, wider doors and improved facilities.

But the upgrade comes with a catch.

Construction is due to begin in April 2026 and will run through to November — meaning months of changes for visitors, including temporary entrances and relocated facilities.

Despite the disruption, the centre insists it will stay open throughout.

Bosses say the revamp is badly needed, with the current entrance no longer fit for purpose.

New features will include modern welcome points, bilingual signage and interactive displays highlighting the wetlands and wildlife.

There will also be eco-friendly upgrades, including a drainage system designed to reduce flooding and boost biodiversity.

Centre manager Jo Jones said the changes would transform the visitor experience.

She said: “Our newly transformed visitor centre will ensure everyone receives a warm and inclusive welcome.

“While there will be some temporary disruption during the build, we’re carefully planning the works so people can continue to enjoy the wetlands.”

The £400,000 project includes £300,000 from the Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics Fund, with the rest funded by the charity itself.

Ministers say the investment will help secure the site’s future as a top visitor attraction in Carmarthenshire.

Rebecca Evans, Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, said: “WWT Llanelli is a remarkable natural asset, and this investment will ensure it becomes even more accessible, inclusive and welcoming for everyone. The Brilliant Basics Fund exists to enhance the essential infrastructure that underpins great visitor experiences – improving accessibility, facilities, and supporting destinations to offer year-round, sustainable tourism.

“This project at WWT Llanelli embodies those aims and I’m delighted that the Welsh Government can help drive this transformation, which will benefit visitors, wildlife and the wider Carmarthenshire economy for generations to come.”

Cllr Hazel Evans, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, added: “Working in collaboration with WWT Llanelli, this exciting project will enhance visitor experience and improve accessibility by updating pathways, doors and ramps as required to meet universal standards, providing bilingual interpretation and installing clear wayfinding systems. I look forward to seeing the results of this project in the future.”

The work is expected to be finished in time for a major milestone — the centre’s 80th birthday celebrations.

In the meantime, visitors are being urged to follow signage and plan ahead as building work gets underway.

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SWANSEA: City firm lands £8m to become world leader in deep-sea wind power

Marine Power Systems (MPS), based in the city, is developing cutting-edge platforms that allow wind turbines to be installed in waters too deep for traditional methods.

The major funding boost is set to help the firm commercialise its technology and position Wales as a global leader in the offshore wind industry.

The company says the investment will also lay the foundations for a large-scale manufacturing facility in Wales, creating high-value jobs and strengthening local supply chains, providing a major boost to the Welsh economy.

Around 80% of the world’s offshore wind resource is in water deeper than 60 metres, which is where MPS’s ‘PelaFlex’ floating platform technology comes in.

Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Rebecca Evans, said the investment was a significant step for Wales’s renewable energy ambitions.

“This investment in Marine Power Systems is another exciting step in Wales’s journey to becoming a global leader in offshore wind,” she said.

Ms Evans added that supporting innovative companies like MPS helps to “build a high-value supply chain, creates skilled jobs and helps us meet global and national net zero targets.”

“We have the talent, the technology and the ambition — and this funding helps turn that ambition into reality,” she said.

Dr Gareth Stockman, CEO at Marine Power Systems, said the investment was a “powerful vote of confidence” in the company and its technology.

“PelaFlex is designed to unlock deep-water offshore wind, where the majority of the world’s wind resource lies,” Dr Stockman said.

“With this support we can accelerate commercialisation, scale deployment and position Wales as a global centre for deep-water wind innovation and manufacturing.”

He described the funding as a “catalytic step toward making deep-water offshore wind a practical reality at industrial scale.”

New £15m eco‑business hubs filling up fast, says Welsh Government as demand surges in Carmarthenshire

Ministers say the £15m investment — jointly funded by the Welsh Government and Carmarthenshire County Council — has delivered new sustainable business units at Parc Gelli Werdd in Cross Hands and a second scheme now under construction at Beechwood Industrial Estate in Llandeilo.

According to the Welsh Government, Parc Gelli Werdd’s 26 “state‑of‑the‑art” workshops and offices are already demonstrating “strong market demand” for low‑carbon premises. The Government says the site includes an energy‑management system allowing tenants to control electricity use for cost efficiencies, alongside high‑performance insulation and solar panels designed to reduce running costs and environmental impact.

Officials say the development is around 70% let, with further enquiries being considered for the remaining units.

The Welsh Government also says five new energy‑efficient industrial units are being built at Beechwood Industrial Estate. The scheme, due for completion in June, is described by ministers as being designed to meet a “Net Zero carbon in‑operation target” and will include electric vehicle charging points.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans said businesses consistently highlight the need for modern, flexible space.

“Businesses tell us how access to modern business spaces is crucial to helping them expand and grow,” she said. “Both of these developments in Carmarthenshire deliver to exceptional environmental standards and will reduce operational costs for occupying businesses whilst minimising environmental impact.”

Carmarthenshire County Council says the partnership is helping create high‑quality space for local firms. Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism Cllr Hazel Evans said the new units will support business growth in the county.

“Through collaborative working with Welsh Government, these energy‑efficient commercial units will provide fantastic, flexible spaces for businesses in Carmarthenshire to thrive,” she said.

Port Talbot crowned Wales’ AI capital as £2.1m boost aims to supercharge Welsh businesses

Efficiency analysts at Ailsa say Port Talbot residents are now searching for AI terms more than anywhere else in the country, with monthly queries soaring from around 36,880 in 2024 to more than 227,000 in 2025. That’s a staggering 516% surge.

Maesteg came second with a 429% rise, followed by Llanelli, Wrexham and Carmarthen. Swansea, Neath and Bridgend saw smaller increases but still recorded sharp growth as AI interest swept across Wales.

Ailsa says Wales has seen the biggest rise in AI searches of any UK nation, jumping 310% year‑on‑year.

AI search growth across Wales

Source: Ailsa efficiency analysis of AI‑related search terms, 2024–2025.

‘Every prompt has a carbon footprint’

Kane Taylor, energy efficiency expert at Ailsa, said the boom in AI use was exciting but warned that the environmental impact of constant prompting was being overlooked.

Kane Taylor said:

“AI is an incredible tool, but every query, every prompt and every reply comes with an environmental footprint we can’t ignore.”

He said AI queries can use up to ten times more energy than a standard browser search, adding that even typing “thank you” to a chatbot triggers another energy‑hungry response.

Taylor said the industry should look at limiting repeated queries and reusing highly rated answers to cut unnecessary processing.

£2.1m to help Welsh firms embrace AI

The surge in public interest comes as the Welsh Government announces £2.1m to help small and medium‑sized businesses adopt AI responsibly and effectively.

Ministers say the funding will help firms boost productivity, improve digital skills and stay competitive as artificial intelligence becomes central to modern business.

Business Wales will receive £600,000 to run an AI awareness and adoption programme, while £500,000 will support tourism and events companies through a new AI Pollination Project with the Hartree Centre Cardiff Hub and Cardiff University’s Digital Transformation Innovation Institute.

Workshops will offer up to 1,000 tourism businesses hands‑on AI training for digital marketing and content creation.

A further £1m will expand the Flexible Skills Programme, allowing employers to access AI training at just 25% of the usual cost.

Swansea firm already using AI to power global growth

One Swansea business is already proving how powerful AI can be when it’s put to work on the shop floor.

Something Different Wholesale — a giftware company with a turnover of £11 million, 75 staff and more than 12,000 active B2B customers worldwide — has woven artificial intelligence into almost every corner of its operation. The firm uses AI to crunch huge amounts of product and market data, helping it spot trends earlier and make smarter decisions about what customers want.

The company says AI is also taking over time‑consuming admin tasks, freeing staff to focus on creative and specialist work that adds more value. Customer service is being enhanced too, with AI helping the team respond faster and more accurately to enquiries from across the globe.

The Swansea‑based business is now preparing to launch a new international website, using AI to automatically translate its pages into multiple languages so it can reach customers in new markets without the usual delays or costs.

Founder Jane Wallace‑Jones said the technology is moving so quickly that many small businesses risk being left behind unless they get support to adopt it.

Jane Wallace‑Jones said:

“Artificial intelligence is advancing at a rapid pace and businesses that successfully adopt AI and integrate it into their processes will gain a significant competitive advantage.

“Many SMEs lack the in‑house expertise needed to utilise the latest technologies effectively. This Welsh Government funding presents a valuable opportunity for Welsh businesses like ours to access high‑quality AI training and improve productivity.”

She said the investment would help boost innovation, growth and future employment opportunities across Wales.

‘AI is transforming the business sector’

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans said the investment would help Welsh businesses prepare for the future.

Rebecca Evans said:

“AI is transforming the business sector, improving productivity and driving change. This programme will help SMEs across Wales optimise the potential of emerging AI technologies in responsible and ambitious ways.”

Skills Minister Jack Sargeant said the funding would help bridge digital skills gaps and support inclusive growth across Wales.

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Port Talbot tipped for key role as third Celtic Sea wind farm confirmed

The decision completes the trio of sites awarded under the UK’s Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5, joining projects already secured by Equinor and Gwynt Glas earlier this year. Together, the three floating wind farms are expected to generate enough clean energy to power more than four million homes.

Port Talbot in the spotlight

Ports including Port Talbot and Bristol have already been identified as front‑running candidates for turbine assembly and deployment. With deep‑water access and existing industrial infrastructure, Port Talbot is seen as a natural hub for the heavy engineering and logistics required to deliver floating offshore wind at scale.

Local leaders have long argued that investment in the Celtic Sea must translate into jobs and training opportunities in South Wales. Under Round 5 rules, developers must ensure at least 3.5% of their workforce are apprentices and that 10% of employees aged 19–24 are not in education, employment or training, opening the door for significant opportunities in Neath Port Talbot.

Welsh Government hails investment

Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans said the certainty over all three sites “will help unlock investment from ports, manufacturing companies and skills providers,” adding that Wales is now “at the global forefront of the offshore wind sector.”

Industry groups including RenewableUK and the British Ports Association welcomed the announcement, saying it positions Wales and the South West of England at “the cutting edge” of a sector that could support nearly 100,000 UK jobs by 2050.

Ocean Winds brings global experience

Ocean Winds, described as a world leader in floating wind technology, has already delivered the WindFloat Atlantic project in Portugal and operates major UK wind farms including Moray East and Moray West.

The Crown Estate said it had taken steps to “derisk” Round 5 for developers, including grid connection plans with the National Energy System Operator and extensive technical and environmental surveys.

What happens next

Ocean Winds and the Crown Estate will now work towards finalising an Agreement for Lease by spring 2026, allowing development work to advance.

For Port Talbot, the coming months will be crucial in determining whether the town secures a central role in turbine assembly and deployment – a move that could bring hundreds of skilled jobs and billions of pounds of investment to the local economy.

#britishPortsAssociation #celticSea #crownEstate #energy #equinor #floatingWindFarm #gwyntGlas #industry #oceanWinds #offshoreWind #portTalbot #rebeccaEvansMs #renewableuk #windPower #windfloatAtlantic

Welsh Government launches ports prospectus highlighting Swansea, Port Talbot and Milford Haven in offshore wind push

The Welsh Government today (Tuesday 7 October) launches its Ports Prospectus at the Future Energy Wales conference in Newport, setting out how the nation’s coastline and industrial heritage can underpin the UK’s clean energy revolution.

Economy, Energy and Planning Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Evans said offshore wind could create 29,000 jobs, generate £4.5bn for the economy and power more than four million homes across Wales by 2030. Capacity is forecast to exceed 20 gigawatts by 2045.

Swansea and Port Talbot

Associated British Ports (ABP) said its Swansea and Port Talbot sites were “uniquely placed” to support both fixed‑bottom and floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea. Ashley Curnow, ABP’s divisional port manager for Wales and the South West, said the ports’ proximity to development areas, large areas of developable land and strong transport links made them ideal to provide the infrastructure and supply chain capability needed.

Milford Haven and Celtic Freeport

At the Port of Milford Haven, chief executive Tom Sawyer said Pembroke Port offered a “prime gateway” to floating offshore wind, boosted by the investment incentives of the Celtic Freeport, which spans Port Talbot and Pembroke Dock. He said the port was ready to support the build‑out of floating offshore wind (FLOW) and anchor a world‑class supply chain in Wales.

Celtic Freeport chief executive Luciana Ciubotariu added:

“The Welsh Ports Prospectus rightly highlights the scale of opportunity for Wales in floating offshore wind, building on the momentum of The Crown Estate’s recent Celtic Sea leasing round. Celtic Freeport is advancing FLOW terminal capacity and supply chain opportunities at Pembroke Dock and Port Talbot.”

National context

The prospectus also highlights opportunities off north Wales, where more than 500 turbines have already been deployed from the Port of Mostyn.

Rebecca Evans said: “Wales stands at the heart of the clean energy transition – with a coastline that delivers natural deep‑water harbours, proximity to major wind lease zones, and an agile, ready‑to‑scale supply chain we represent one of Europe’s most strategic locations for offshore wind development.”

Next steps

The Welsh Government said its Freeports in south west and north Wales provide investors with tax incentives, streamlined customs processes and development‑ready sites, alongside investment in renewable energy skills.

The Ports Prospectus will now be used to showcase Wales’ offer to global investors as the Celtic Sea leasing round gathers pace.

Related Articles

More on Celtic Freeport and Wales’ offshore wind opportunity:

• Economy Minister congratulates Celtic Freeport consortium on winning bid
  Vaughan Gething hails Port Talbot and Milford Haven’s successful freeport bid, expected to create thousands of green jobs.
• Neath Port Talbot councillors approve next stages in 16,000‑job Celtic Freeport project
  Council signs off on governance and funding steps to progress the transformational freeport scheme.
• Crown Estate funds new offshore wind supply chain programme in South Wales
  £100k programme to boost SMEs in the Swansea Bay City Region reignites calls for devolution of the Crown Estate.
• Swansea, Port Talbot and Milford Haven ports in running for huge offshore wind contracts
  Welsh ports shortlisted as potential assembly hubs for floating wind turbines in the Celtic Sea.

#AssociatedBritishPorts #CelticFreeport #CelticSea #FutureEnergyWales #MilfordHaven #offshoreWind #PortOfMilfordHaven #RebeccaEvansMS #Swansea #WelshGovernment #WindPower #windTurbines

Welsh Government writes off £1.6m after failed Porthcawl Maritime Centre project

The Welsh Government has formally written off more than £1.6 million in public funding after a planned Maritime Centre in Porthcawl collapsed without being built.

A new report from Audit Wales found “basic failings” in the way the project was managed, concluding that warning signs and opportunities to limit the loss were missed.

The centre — planned for the harbourside — was intended to include a coastal science and discovery hub, well‑being facilities, a café and restaurant, group accommodation and events space. It was promoted as a flagship attraction to boost tourism, celebrate maritime heritage and support regeneration.

Funding and collapse

In 2016 and 2017, the Welsh Government approved up to £2.7 million for the scheme, combining European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) support with domestic match funding.

The project was led by Credu Charity Ltd, working with Bridgend County Borough Council. Between May 2016 and March 2020, £1.6 million was paid to Credu.

By August 2020, amid concerns over rising costs and slow progress, the Welsh Government withdrew ERDF funding and sought to recover the grants. In November that year, Credu entered voluntary liquidation and the Maritime Centre was never built.

A police investigation into matters relating to the project concluded in 2024 with no charges brought. Audit Wales says it is unlikely any of the £1.6 million will be recovered.

Oversight criticised

Audit Wales found a lack of clarity over roles between the Welsh European Funding Office and Visit Wales, ineffective monitoring, and late or insufficient due diligence. Public money was committed before full match funding was secured, and controls over expenditure claims were described as weak.

Auditor General Adrian Crompton said:

“While time has passed since the events described in this report, there were basic failings in this case and the lessons from it remain relevant today.”

In a written statement to the Senedd, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Energy and Planning Rebecca Evans confirmed the write‑off, describing the loss as a “Claims Waived and Abandoned” entry in line with public money rules. She said lessons from the case had informed stronger pre‑payment checks, earlier risk identification and tighter expenditure controls.

Political reaction

Welsh Conservative finance spokesperson Sam Rowlands MS called the loss “another colossal waste of taxpayers’ money” and said the Auditor General’s review showed the Welsh Government “did not put proper arrangements in place to manage the risks”.

The Welsh Government said it accepted Audit Wales’ conclusions and noted that “ultimate reasons for the Maritime Centre’s failure were complicated and outside the scope of this report”.

Funds originally earmarked for the Maritime Centre were reallocated to Bridgend Council for a smaller development at Cosy Corner, which has since opened to house local retail and start‑up businesses.

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#AuditWales #BridgendCountyBoroughCouncil #CosyCorner #CreduCharityLtd #ERDF #EuropeanRegionalDevelopmentFund #Porthcawl #PorthcawlMaritimeCentre #RebeccaEvansMS #VisitWales #WelshEuropeanFundingOffice #WelshGovernment

Cross Hands business to give old tyres a new life

Tuf Treads will save old tyres from landfill by using them to produce premium re-treaded tyres using latest manufacturing technology. Re-treading gives suitable tyres a new start once the original tread is worn away.

Based at Cross Hands Strategic Employment Site, the new factory will see 30 new jobs created.

It is backed by £400k from the Economy Futures Fund and £220k Circular Economy Funding from the Welsh Government.

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said: “This new facility will fill a gap in the market for the successful Tuf Treads – saving up to 30kg of rubber, 20kg of steel and 60kg of CO2 from landfill each time a truck or bus tyre is re-treaded.

“The innovative and sustainable nature of this service is exactly the sort of business practice we want to support as we nurture a greener economy based around the industries of the future.

“It will also create good quality jobs, helping to drive prosperity and equip people with the right skills for our changing world.”

Tuf Treads Director Dan Rees said: “As a proud Welsh company, Tuf Treads is delighted to have been able to grow its business over recent years. We are grateful for Welsh Government’s contribution to our £3m plus investment in our new factory in Cross Hands.

“We will be the leading manufacturers of first-class, retreaded tyres in Wales. However, for us, this isn’t just about developing the business. Importantly it is also about creating new, skilled jobs within the local community and helping to grow the Welsh economy.

“Equally significant is the way in which our new initiative helps Wales fulfil its net zero commitments by producing high quality tyres from recycled, used tyres that otherwise would be in landfill.

“As a local Pontyberem man, I’m committed to doing all I can to help our communities here and across Wales flourish and thrive.” 

#Business #Carmarthenshire #CrossHands #Environment #RebeccaEvansMS #Recycling #tyres #WelshGovernment