Wales Neath Port Talbot Council Success Story
Neath Port Talbot Council acquired Neath’s iconic ‘Metal Box’ site in 2019 and it is currently being refurbished with the aid of grant funding from the Welsh Government’s Targeted Regeneration Investment programme.
In its heyday, the ‘Metal Box’ site employed around 4,000 people in one of the largest factory units in South Wales. Moreover, its close proximity to Neath town centre, together with its social club and playing fields, meant that it was central to the work and leisure lives of many families within the local area.
Due to its size, the property itself is considered strategically important to the County Borough’s employment land supply as it is capable of delivering significant investment, floor space and job creation. Its acquisition has already helped the Council unlock employment and development opportunities whilst also providing an asset that will generate new income streams.
The site also forms part of the Welsh Government’s Neath Valleys Strategic Hub, which aims to close the employment gap between the South Wales Valleys and the rest of Wales by creating new and sustainable jobs. The purchase of this strategic site signifies the Council’s commitment to Neath and its communities by ensuring that there are opportunities for job creation within both the urban and valley communities.
The acquisition will enable the Council to develop the property into a strategic hub for offices, manufacturing and other appropriate uses. This in turn will help attract new investment as well as existing businesses whilst also creating new jobs opportunities within the area.
After the Metal Box site finally stopped operating in 2016, the massive scale of the existing factory meant that it was considered too large for the majority of new and expanding businesses. Therefore, due to its importance as an employment site, the Council took the unusual step
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COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MONTHLY 2020
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