Cross Hands East

CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council is ready to make a start on the Cross Hands East Strategic Employment Site this spring.

The local authority has now secured the necessary land to enable the implementation of the first phase of the development which will be able to accommodate 1,244 jobs.

Having pursued a Compulsory Purchase Order it has been confirmed that the council now has the necessary right to enter and develop the site.

It is now intended to commence with construction works in the spring with the construction process to progress for the duration of 2014 and reach a conclusion early 2015.

The employment site will cover 19 hectares with potential building floor space of 40,000sqm.

The current project aims to build the first phase of the entire site which includes: a new access road from the A48 to Black Lion Road, internal site highways, gas, water and electricity provisions, internal drainage and landscaping, and the preparation of five development plots.

The funding for the scheme is made up of £9m from the Welsh Government, including the Western Valleys Regeneration Area programme, European Regional Development Fund and Transport grant. The development will be managed and implemented by the county council which is investing £4m in the scheme.

Executive board member for regeneration and leisure Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “This is something we have been working on for some time and I’m delighted that we can now make a start on site. It is an investment in Carmarthenshire’s future.”

Council Leader Cllr Kevin Madge said: “Bringing jobs to Carmarthenshire is a priority for the council and the Cross Hands East Strategic Employment Site is central to this.

“It is good news that we now have the right to enter the site to begin work which is due to be completed early next year. This is a very exciting project.”