STATEMENT Menai Data Centre

A statement by Siân Gwenllian MS regarding the proposed Data Centre on the shores of the Menai.

"I’d like to thank all those who have reached out to me regarding the proposed Menai Data Centre. I very much appreciate you taking the time to write, and I recognise the interest that these proposals have generated among local people.

Since May, I have served as the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning. This ministerial role means that there are important restrictions on what I can say or do in relation to individual planning proposals.

My portfolio includes responsibility for planning policy, the determination of called-in planning applications and appeals, and other planning matters that can ultimately come before the Welsh Ministers for determination.

There is therefore a potential quasi-judicial conflict if I were to comment on a particular planning proposal. The rules are designed to ensure that planning decisions are made fairly, impartially and on the basis of the evidence and representations properly submitted as part of the planning process.

In particular, the Welsh Government’s guidance makes clear that a Minister should not comment on a planning application, or on a matter that might become the subject of a planning application. A Minister should also not discuss a planning case with an interested party or express a view which could be seen as prejudging the proposal. If a Minister were subsequently required to determine that case, having previously expressed a view could prevent them from taking part in the decision.

This is not about a lack of interest in the concerns being raised. It is about protecting the integrity of the planning process and ensuring that, should a matter ultimately come before Welsh Ministers, it can be considered fairly and on the basis of all the evidence and representations submitted through the proper process.

The encouraging thing about the new Senedd electoral system is that residents now have six Members of the Senedd representing each constituency, rather than a single constituency Member. Following the May 2026 election, six MSs were elected to represent the new Gwynedd Maldwyn constituency. This means that there are now several elected representatives who can raise local concerns and engage with issues affecting the constituency.

In circumstances such as this, where my ministerial responsibilities mean that I have to step back from commenting on the substance of a particular planning proposal, there are therefore other avenues available to residents.

As this proposal concerns the Arfon area, I would suggest contacting Beca Brown MS, who represents the constituency, at Beca.Brown-AS@senedd.cymru. She will not be subject to the same restrictions that apply to me in my role as the Cabinet Minister responsible for planning, and she will therefore be in a position to listen to your concerns and consider what representations she can make.

It is also important to remember that the initial decision on a planning application will be made by Cyngor Gwynedd as the local planning authority. I would therefore strongly encourage you to contact your local councillor and set out your concerns about the proposal. Your local councillor is able to represent the views of residents locally and engage directly with Cyngor Gwynedd as it considers the application.

I would also encourage you to contact your local MP, Liz Saville Roberts, who is seeking the views of constituents on the proposal. She can be contacted at liz.savilleroberts.mp@parliament.uk.

Most importantly, however, I would urge you to make sure that your views are submitted directly through the official consultation being run by Cyngor Gwynedd. This is the most important way of ensuring that your concerns form part of the formal planning process and are available to those responsible for considering the application.

I hope this explains why my ministerial responsibilities mean that I cannot comment on the proposal, while also pointing you towards the representatives and formal processes that can properly take your concerns forward.

Thank you once again for taking the time to contact me and for making your views known. It is important that residents engage with the planning process and ensure that their concerns are properly heard and considered."