Plans submitted for £20million Port Talbot research centre

Port Talbot: So, there’s some exciting news brewing in Port Talbot! Plans have been put forward for a shiny new research facility that’s all about helping the steel industry go green. It’s called the South Wales Industrial Transition from Carbon Hub, or SWITCH for short. If the council gives it the thumbs up, it’ll be built in the Harbourside area.

This project is a big deal, with a price tag of £20 million. Morgan Sindall Construction is set to design and build it. The aim? To create a research centre focused on decarbonising the metal and steel industry. Neath Port Talbot Council is teaming up with Swansea University to make this happen, and they’re calling it an “open access centre.” It’s all about bringing together experts from different fields to help the region hit its net zero goals.

Once it’s up and running, the centre will have all sorts of facilities. Think workshops, welding zones, and even labs for mechanical testing. There’ll be offices and spaces for staff to chill out too. The idea is to work closely with Swansea University to help the steel industry transition to a greener future.

The SWITCH programme is really focused on helping the steel and metals industry reduce its carbon footprint. It’s about building strong partnerships between industry and academia to ensure the future of steel in Wales and the UK is sustainable.

This proposal comes on the heels of some tough times for the local steelworks, with the closure of two blast furnaces leading to over 2,000 job losses. Just recently, Tata Steel also submitted plans for a new electric arc furnace at the site, costing £1.25 billion.

Now, the plans for this research centre will be reviewed by the council’s planning department in the coming months. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome!