A factory in Newport, Wales which has been vacant for over ten years, could be turned into a data center if a planning application currently before Newport city council is approved.
The derelict former LG semi-conductor plant costs £600,000 public money a year to maintain. According a Welsh Assembly spokesman "the planning application is the first step in the potential redevelopment of the building as a data center."
"The Welsh Assembly Government wants to stimulate a competitive market for the full-range of data-center services in Wales."
Newport West AM Rosemary Butler recently pressed Assembly minister Ieaun Wyn Jones for assurances about the future of the building, describing it as "one of the most attractive and valuable sites in the UK" which was vital to the city's regeneration.