Anglesey Freeport gets £25m boost to create jobs and growth

Friday, 20 March 2026 00:01

£25m for seven projects to kick-start the Anglesey Freeport and drive economic growth across the island and North Wales has been announced today (20 March). The Welsh Government, UK Government, Isle of Anglesey County Council and Stena Line UK have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising how the freeport will be governed and delivered. This agreement unlocks the first tranche of £25m seed capital funding, from the UK and Welsh governments, for...Request free trial

£25m for seven projects to kick-start the Anglesey Freeport and drive economic growth across the island and North Wales has been announced today (20 March).

The Welsh Government, UK Government, Isle of Anglesey County Council and Stena Line UK have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) formalising how the freeport will be governed and delivered.

This agreement unlocks the first tranche of £25m seed capital funding, from the UK and Welsh governments, for projects that will improve infrastructure, attract inward investment and create employment opportunities.

Anglesey Freeport is a designated zone where businesses benefit from tax reliefs and other incentives designed to attract investment and create high-quality jobs.

The seven projects include road access improvements, energy infrastructure, site remediation and new improved facilities at the Menai Science Park campus. Together they will prepare the freeport's tax sites for private sector investment.

The announcement builds on recent major commitments for the region, including the approval of a new Wylfa nuclear reactor and the designation of a North Wales AI Growth Zone. The freeport's sector priorities - which include nuclear energy and digital technology - directly complement both developments.

Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, said:

“This £25 million investment demonstrates our government's commitment to securing Anglesey's economic future and ensuring the benefits of major UK and Welsh Labour Government decisions are felt here on the island.

“By putting critical infrastructure in place now, we are positioning Anglesey to take full advantage of the Freeport, the renewed momentum at Wylfa, and the opportunities of the North Wales AI Growth Zone.

“This is a clear message: we are backing Welsh communities with the tools they need to compete, to attract high quality jobs, and to shape the industries that will define the economy of the future.”

Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens said:

“Today's news is a significant moment for the delivery of Anglesey's Freeport which will be vital for kickstarting economic growth and is projected to create 5,000 jobs by 2030.

“This follows the UK Government's recent announcements of new nuclear for Wylfa and a north Wales AI Growth Zone, which taken together will be transformational for people in north Wales, providing opportunities for generations to come.”

Leader of the Isle of Anglesey County Council, Gary Pritchard said:

“Anglesey Council is pleased to sign the Freeport Memorandum of Understanding because it represents a major milestone in delivering new economic opportunities for the island. The agreement confirms a shared commitment with both governments, and Stena Line to establish a Freeport that can attract investment, support innovation, and create skilled jobs for local communities.

“Securing seed capital is especially important, as it allows essential early work to begin and demonstrates confidence in Anglesey's strategic potential. With this foundation in place, the Council with Stena Line and other partners can accelerate plans that strengthen the island's role in energy, manufacturing, and trade, helping drive long‑term prosperity across Ynys Môn and North Wales.”

Executive Chair, Stena Line UK, Ian Hampton said:

“We welcome the approval of Anglesey Freeport's memorandum of understanding with the Welsh and UK governments. This announcement marks the start of Anglesey Freeport's operational stage, following the work undertaken to date to secure Freeport status, finalise our business cases, and prepare our tax sites for investment.

“We are grateful to the UK and Welsh governments for their ongoing support and will continue to work with both governments and all Freeport partners to deliver our vision of providing jobs and economic growth for Anglesey and North Wales, while protecting the Welsh language and culture.”

Notes to editors

The seven projects are as below, and funding will be provided over four years.

The freeport became operational on 23 January 2025, following the designation of its tax sites. Land Transaction Tax relief for the North Anglesey Tax Site came into force on 21 November 2024.

The Isle of Anglesey County Council acts as the accountable body for the freeport programme. The MoU sets out the governance framework between the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the Welsh Government, the Council and the freeport's governing body.

Central Anglesey
Bangor University's Science Park (M-SParc)	The new second building being developed at Menai Science Park on Anglesey, designed to expand the site's capacity and strengthen North Wales' low‑carbon innovation sector. It will provide new offices, labs, workshops, and training space to support SMEs and manufacturers working in sustainable technologies.
Peboc	Site assembly and remediation of the heavily contaminated former Eastman Peboc chemical works that closed in 2008. The site has planning permission for small business units and the seed capital funding will make the site investor-ready.
North Anglesey
North Anglesey Highways Improvements	Improvements to the A5025, including critical safety measures, to allow more HGVs to access the Tax Sites at Rhosgoch and the former Octel site in Amlwch. Improved access will allow more commercial space to be developed and bring more jobs to the sites.
Anglesey Prosperity Zone
Parc Cybi/Cae Glas archaeological clearance	Archaeology has been one of the main obstacles to its development and there are, rightly, restrictions on what can be done with parts of the site to ensure those artifacts are protected in perpetuity. Seed capital will be used to clear the site as appropriate and make it ready for development.
Parc Cybi Road Access	Support to deliver road access to the south east part of Parc Cybi at Cae Glas.
Power Provision and Decarbonisation	Alongside major investment from Stena, the project will provide power from the Prosperity Parc grid connection to Parc Cybi and support the electrification of port vehicles, ferries and cruise ships taking power (rather than running their engines).