WIREDGOV

The second phase of a Welsh Government support package to secure the long term future of CGG Robertson in Llandudno gets under way this week with bids being sought from property developers to build new Grade A offices for the company.

CGG Robertson, an oil and gas consultancy, employs 240 people in Llandudno and is the largest private sector employer in Conwy. The business was acquired last year by the French geoscience company CGG which considered relocating the company because of the poor state of the buildings that CGG Robertson occupied.

 CGG Robertson’s existing offices date back to the 1970s and were no longer considered fit for purpose. The company also has offices in  Tyn-y-Coed, a partly listed building on the site and plans for this building will be developed in due course.

In order to retain the business and jobs in North Wales, the Welsh Government acquired their site, leased it back to CGG Robertson and developed options with the company to re-develop the site.

The Welsh Government is now looking for expressions of interest from property developers to build modern 55,000 sq ft offices on the site to lease to CGG Robertson. It is providing a Property Development Grant to support the construction and tenders will also include site improvement work on  land at Tyn-y-Coed, Llanrhos, Llandudno

Economy Minister Edwina Hart said:

“CGG Robertson is an important employer in the region providing highly skilled jobs and we want to ensure those jobs stay in Wales. This support package is designed to safeguard the company’s long term future in Llandudno and safeguard and create jobs.”

Welsh Government approved a £1m assistance package earlier this year to support the relocation of laboratory facilities from the existing site to Conwy Morfa estate and the capital costs of fitting out the new HQ building to be developed on the current site.  The financial support package will safeguard existing employment and lead to the creation of a further 48 new jobs after the new HQ has been built.