S4C Yr Egin headquarters an important investment, says minister

Yr Egin is intended as a hub for the creative industries in west Wales

A creative hub including new headquarters for S4C in Carmarthen will create high-quality jobs, the Welsh language minister has told AMs.

Alun Davies defended the Welsh Government's £3m contribution to Yr Egin as an "important investment".

The University of Wales Trinity St David had promised its development would not require public funding.

Mr Davies said he did not know if it would create 600 jobs as claimed, but was "confident" of new opportunities.

He told the Welsh Assembly's culture committee on Wednesday that he saw Yr Egin as an important investment, supporting the economy of west Wales and the Welsh language.

There was an "important role" for the Welsh Government to invest where there was a failure in the market, he added, helping to create high-quality jobs in the medium of Welsh in an area such as Carmarthenshire.

In March, university chiefs told the committee that the building - due to open in late spring 2018 - had not yet signed up any tenants other than S4C.

Mr Davies added that S4C could do more to support skills development, in partnership with other broadcasters, trade bodies, unions and the new Creative Wales body being set up by the Welsh Government.

Simon Thomas, Plaid Cymru Mid and West Wales AM, said: "I'm glad the Welsh Government supported this important development which will benefit not just the west Wales, but also the Welsh language media industry as it creates a number of high quality jobs."