Welsh Secretary of State Alun Cairns has announced £800,000 of UK Government investment in Swansea University’s SPECIFIC centre.

The news came during a keynote speech at the Policy Forum for Wales event in Swansea, in which he called on all partners to “pull together and make the Swansea Bay Region City Deal vision a reality.”

The deal is expected to deliver more than 9,000 jobs through 11 targeted science and innovation projects.

During the speech, Mr Cairns outlined how Swansea is benefitting from the UK Government’s prioritising of its infrastructure investment.

The recent introduction of the bi-mode Intercity Express trains will benefit passengers travelling across South Wales, and the Government is also looking at station improvements in Swansea and at ways to deliver direct services from London to Pembroke Dock.

He said: “These are exciting times for the Swansea region — not only because the dynamism of the projects that will be delivered through the City Deal, but also through the other investments that are being made in infrastructure.

"We need to seize the opportunities that are coming Swansea’s way. The potential of the region is immense, but it is crucial that all levels of government, private and public sectors work together to make the region the powerhouse of innovation it deserves to be.”

The funding (delivered by Innovate UK) will be used to build the UK’s first energy-positive office, capable of generating more energy than it uses.

This should be completed by April 2018, and it will be occupied immediately by up to 40 people.

The Active Office will be linked to the Active Classroom — providing teaching space and a laboratory for Swansea University students, as well as a development facility for SPECIFIC and its industry partners.