Tax and customs sites of Anglesey Freeport
The vision of Anglesey Freeport is to become hub for innovation, low carbon energy, and international trade. It has a twin track approach:
- Building on the success of the Energy Island Programme to become a global leader in low carbon energy.
- Maximise the use of Holyhead port to both improve the central corridor and bring the GB Landbridge back to pre-Brexit levels.
Following the agreement of our Outline Business Case in early 2025, Anglesey Prosperity Zone and Central Anglesey Tax Site both received tax site designation. The North Anglesey Tax site is expected to come forward later this year.
The different tax sites will attract different types of businesses and uses – they will accommodate floorspaces of different sizes and types ensuring that different business needs and types can be accommodated. This will make sure that the benefits of the Freeport can be maximised for the local, regional and national economy.
We will look to ensure all sites are maximised in their potential, incorporating a mix of businesses in terms of size and sectors.
Further information on our customs site will be released in due course. Determining which tax site the customs site will sit within and where, will be informed by investor interest and feasibility.
Central Anglesey Tax Site
The Central Anglesey Tax site has M-Sparc at its core ensuring that innovation, skills and business development is embedded into the Freeport. It includes a number of different sizes of sites – including sites in Llangefni. This will create business space for more high-productivity, innovative businesses – like those already based at M-Sparc – and a range of different types of floorspaces to make sure that different business needs and types can be accommodated. Owned by Bangor University, M-SParc is the first science park in Wales and is embedded in the digital and low-carbon sectors across North Wales. Their team works across a range of projects including tidal, offshore wind and new nuclear. As part of the Freeport, the site will offer high-end property offers (including R&D functions), a place to access support services for hi-tech businesses and will be key in integrating the wider Freeport with innovation activities.
North Anglesey Tax Site
The North Anglesey Tax Site – which we expect to be approved at a later date – includes Rhosgoch, the former Shell Oil depot, and the Octel site, the former bromine chemical factory. Both sites have been vacant for decades and, while there has been some investor interest previously, the cost of works required were a clear barrier, and the sites have never come forward. Support from the Freeport can make the site viable for investors and bring forward development and job creation in the north of the Island. The UK Government’s purchase of the Wylfa site in 2024 is further indicative of a clear commitment to bringing new nuclear development to Anglesey. Our close proximity to Wylfa will create further opportunities associated with any future nuclear projects.
Anglesey Prosperity Zone
The Anglesey Prosperity Zone (APZ) comprises the old, and long-derelict, Anglesey Aluminium site – now renamed Prosperity Parc – and Parc Cybi. Stena Line recently held a consultation on Prosperity Parc, with the application for the site to be submitted in early 2025.
Prosperity Parc
