Around 300 people attended a rally in Caernarfon on Saturday to protest against plans to build a massive AI data centre on the banks of the Menai Strait in north Wales, an area described as the equivalent of 57 football pitches. More than 22,000 people have also signed a petition opposing the scheme.
Protest against Ferodo factory site plans
Developers Canolfan Ddata Mena are seeking to build the facility on the derelict former Ferodo factory site at Griffith's Crossing, near Caernarfon. They argue the project would generate 200 permanent jobs, along with hundreds more during the construction phase.
The proposals have met significant resistance, with Dwyfor Meirionnydd Plaid MP Liz Saville Roberts addressing those gathered at the rally on Y Maes.
MP voices concerns over scale and risks
The Plaid Cymru MP said: "The sheer scale of these proposals is staggering. We are not talking about a modest development, but a data centre complex covering an area equivalent to 57 football pitches on the shores of the Menai Strait."
She added: "Such a dramatic change to this landscape demands the highest level of scrutiny and public engagement. The turnout at yesterday's protest demonstrated the strength of feeling locally and with over 22,000 signatures now on the petition, it is clear that opposition to these plans is growing by the day."
Saville Roberts noted she had listened carefully to residents and shared their concerns, stating: "I have made it clear that I oppose these proposals. Supporters of the scheme point to the prospect of new jobs, but local people are entitled to ask some hard questions."
Public health and environmental worries
She highlighted concerns including "public health concerns relating to site clearance and potential contamination, the significant water requirements of the facility, the loss of productive agricultural land, and the broader environmental and landscape impacts."
The protest comes amid rising demand for data centres driven by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. In the UK alone, it is estimated that a further 100 data centres will be constructed over the coming years to satisfy the growing need for AI processing power.
An outline planning application lodged with Cyngor Gwynedd stated: "The vision for the development is to create a highly sustainable digital infrastructure facility that strengthens the Wales data and technology capabilities while responding sensitively to the site's environmental, landscape, and setting."
The former factory served as a significant employer for many years, with as many as 1,500 staff manufacturing vehicle components, particularly brake pads and linings. It subsequently gained notoriety for the Friction Dynamics strike, which saw employees picketing the site for nearly 1,000 days between 2001 and 2003. It shut down shortly afterwards and has stood empty ever since, despite numerous previous proposals ranging from a prison to a leisure development.
