Green light for £150m Global Centre for Rail Excellence

A planning application for the construction of a world class rail testing facility on the Powys and Neath Port Talbot boundary has been conditionally approved by Powys County Council planning committee.The train, rail infrastructure and technology testing facility known as the Global Centre for Rail Excellence (GCRE), will support innovation in the UK and international rail industry, including the testing of green technologies.The Welsh Government has been working in partnership with Powys and Neath Port Talbot councils to develop proposals for the GCRE, which will be located on the site of the Nant Helen open cast mine operated by Celtic Energy and the Onllwyn Washery Distribution Centre.The GCRE, to be based at the Nant Helen Open Cast site and the Onllwyn Washery Distribution Centre, will cover an area of around 475 hectares and will consist of two looped test tracks, one being an electrified high speed rolling stock track (6.9km long) and the other being a low-speed infrastructure test track (4.5km).There will also be a dual platform test environment, operations and control offices, staff accommodation, shunter cabins and facilities for research and development, education and training.Neath Port Talbot Council has also granted conditional approval to the application to the planning application, submitted by the Welsh Ministers.