**Major US Data Centre Project Receives Green Light in Vale of Glamorgan**
A major step has been taken in the continued expansion of cutting-edge digital infrastructure in Wales, as American technology giant Vantage Data Centres has secured planning approval for a substantial new data facility in the Vale of Glamorgan. This latest move cements the company’s growing presence in the region, with local authorities and the Welsh Government keenly observing the potential economic benefits that such technological investment could deliver.
The approved site, hosted within the Welsh Government’s Bro Tathan business park at St Athan, is poised to house a data centre with an impressive 120-megawatt capacity. Vantage Data Centres already runs a significant campus near Cardiff and has recently unveiled plans for a massive ten-facility complex at the former Ford engine plant in Bridgend. This pattern of development highlights both the appetite for digital growth in Wales and increasing demand for high-capacity data processing prompted by advancements in artificial intelligence and information services.
Although the Vale of Glamorgan Council has formally granted planning permission for this new project, certain aspects concerning land agreements remain shrouded in uncertainty. The Welsh Government, when asked whether it intended to sell or lease the site to Vantage, refrained from providing further details, citing ongoing commercial negotiations. In a similar vein, the technology firm itself has, for the time being, declined to elaborate on the development or its timeline beyond confirming the recent approval.
This approval at Bro Tathan follows a recent submission by Vantage to Bridgend Council for its proposed data centre cluster on the old Ford site. Should Bridgend council also grant permission, the ambitious project could see up to ten individual centres established over the next 10 to 15 years, accompanied by the construction of three substations. Intriguingly, this would result in a facility with a projected operational size four times greater than the company’s campus in Newport.
Significantly, once the Bridgend development is running at capacity, it is estimated that it could create around 600 ongoing jobs and generate more than £8 million annually in business rates for the local council. The plans also reflect increasing environmental responsibility, with Vantage pledging to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 at the campus—powered entirely by renewable energy, minimising water consumption, and facilitating the reuse of excess heat to support local heating networks.
Earlier in the year, Vantage Data Centres made headlines after announcing an unprecedented £12 billion investment strategy for the UK—a financial injection from which Wales is expected to be a primary beneficiary. According to the company, if all planning and infrastructure permissions are secured, their ongoing expansion efforts could eventually deliver in the region of 11,500 jobs, of which around 10,000 would be linked to the intensive construction phase, with a further 1,500 long-term roles involved in data centre operations.
Part of the context for this expansion is the rapidly increasing reliance on artificial intelligence, which requires robust digital infrastructure capable of handling vast and complex data flows. The Welsh Government administration has noted its sustained collaboration with Vantage Data Centres since 2020, supporting efforts to position Wales as a destination for technology investment.
Wales is also being eyed by the UK Government as a host for one of its new “AI Investment Zones”, though the precise location remains yet to be confirmed. Observers are speculating that either the new Bro Tathan site or Vantage’s ambitious Bridgend project could be included within this wider strategy, potentially unlocking additional funding and further economic opportunities for the region.
In addition to these headline projects, Vantage has indicated its intention to explore further data centre developments across South Wales, hinting at a future in which the principality becomes a key digital and data-processing powerhouse within the UK’s technology landscape.
For local people and businesses, the attracton of major technology infrastructure projects presents not only the promise of direct employment but also the prospect of broader economic uplift, innovation, and connectivity gains. The planning process for the Bro Tathan site was led by consultancy firm CarneySweeney, reflecting the complexity and scale of such developments.
As digital needs continue to soar, Wales stands at a crossroads—ready to harness the energy of technological growth, while balancing the challenges of responsible land use and community impact in a rapidly changing digital economy.