3. Will the Minister provide an update on plans to develop businesses in Parc Bryn Cegin, Bangor? OAQ53796

Diolch yn fawr iawn. The land at Parc Bryn Cegin is currently available for development and is being marketed via our commercial property agents, our property database and also by Gwynedd Council.

Thank you. Yesterday, it was very appropriate that we were celebrating establishing this Assembly 20 years ago. A number of people in my constituency place the blame on the Assembly for one of the big scandals of the time, namely that Parc Bryn Cegin, near Bangor, continues to be completely empty, with no jobs created. However, it's not the Assembly’s fault, but the fault of the Labour Government that has been in power in this place for 20 years.

The park now is one of three business hubs in the north Wales growth scheme, and I'm pleased about that, but will your Government give priority to attracting business and work of quality to this park? Millions of pounds were spent on the infrastructure, but there is nothing there in terms of work, jobs or businesses.

Well, the Member will be aware that Liberty Properties has been the preferred developer for a much-publicised cinema-led leisure development on the front plot for some time now. I'm pleased to say that Liberty are reporting that it still has strong interest from one cinema operator and from three to four restaurant operators, and that it's reviewing other leisure sector options to support the viability of the area and will present a revised project appraisal once it's been established and once the interest of the private sector has been fully appraised. I can assure the Member that my officials are working with Gwynedd Council to facilitate the delivery of a park-and-ride facility on an area of land that's not allocated for employment use, and the council has secured planning consent for that facility, which will make it far more attractive to develop the cinema-led project. 

In addition, under the north Wales growth deal, the economic ambition board have identified an outline business case for a land and property joint venture between the economic ambition board and this Welsh Labour Government, to increase the supply and delivery of sites, premises and housing in north Wales, and, of course, Parc Bryn Cegin is identified as one of the five early opportunities for potential development. And I look forward to the Member welcoming the success of the Welsh Labour Government in ensuring that jobs are created at that important site. We are considering business cases within the north Wales growth deal right now and we'll be responding to the economic ambition board by the end of this month.

In fact, it was 2015 when the Welsh Government appointed Liberty Properties Developments Ltd as developers for Bangor's Parc Bryn Cegin site. Last September, the former First Minister told this Assembly that

'The development land at Parc Bryn Cegin is available for development and is being actively marketed via our commercial property agents…on our property data base as well as Gwynedd Council.'

Strangely, the identical words you used in responding initially today. So, congratulations to the consistency of your briefers.

In January, The Bangor Aye stated, 

'It is now understood that Liberty are in discussions with Gwynedd council and the Welsh Government about new plans for the site.'

So, I wonder if you could expand upon what those new plans for the site are, and, responding to your comments about the inclusion within the growth vision for north Wales proposition document of the Parc Bryn Cegin strategic site project, what dialogue you're having not just with the north Wales economic ambition board, but with the north Wales business delivery group set up to support it, regarding the achievement of their aspirations to generate 250 indirect jobs, five large businesses and up to £12 million private sector leverage from the exploitation of this opportunity.

Well, I'd like to say Mark Isherwood makes a very important point towards the end of his question about the role of business groups in informing economic development in north Wales, and I've been at pains to stress to the economic ambition board the crucial role that the private sector has in shaping a truly transformational growth deal and one that is backed up by private sector investment, and one that is able to leverage in more private sector investment as well. And so, whether it be with regard to Parc Bryn Cegin or any other of the sites and premises, or any other of the projects within the north Wales growth deal, I think it's absolutely essential that the economic ambition board, the programme board and my officials engage with the private sector and with the employers who, potentially, will be occupying the site.

The Member references a meeting that took place in December 2018 that included councillors of Gwynedd Council and also officers of Gwynedd Council, where Liberty noted that, if permitted, the incorporation of a discount food retailer into its proposal in lieu of some restaurant units would improve the scheme's viability. That was rejected. However, Liberty, as I say, have recently reported that it still has strong interest from one cinema operator and a number of restaurant operators as well, and it's reviewing other leisure sector options to support the viability of the project.

Question 4 [OAQ53810] is withdrawn. Question 5—Mohammad Asghar.