WHEN will work to build a £390 million bottle making factory in Ebbw Vale start, a Blaenau Gwent councillor has asked.

The question was asked at a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Corporate Performance scrutiny committee on Thursday, October 10, when councillors discussed the authority’s draft annual performance self-assessment for 2023/2024.

Publishing the self-assessment is an annual legal requirement for local authorities in Wales.

The factory development had featured in the document with the council explaining what stage it had reached during 2023/2024.

The self-assessment report also noted that CiNER is in discussions with both the Welsh and UK Government about agreeing an “assistance package.”

Cllr Gareth Alban Davies said: “Regarding CiNER do we have a date, when are we going to see shovels in the ground?”

Director of regeneration and community Ellie Fry said: “I know there is great interest in this.

“The package from the Welsh Government is with the minister to be signed off.

“That’s something we have been working with the government to ensure the development of the site is possible.”

The package was also with the UK Government and Ms Fry told the committee that no decision had been made at Westminster yet.

Ms Fry continued: “What we’re hoping for is some sort of noise from the UK Government in the near future.

“They are very positive, but nothing has come out yet.

“And then hopefully shovels in the ground, which is what we are looking for.”

She believed the scheme is moving “in the right direction.”

Cllr Davies said: “It’s been the best part of five years, it’s good news that it’s still ongoing.”

The committee agreed to recommend that the assessment goes to a full council meeting later this month to be ratified by councillors ahead of being published on the authority’s website.

Concerns about the factory which is hoped to create 600 jobs were first aired by councillors last month because of the lack of tangible process being seen at the site.

This is due to fears that bottle making plant could be another economic white elephant for Blaenau Gwent such as the Circuit of Wales project which promised much but failed to materialise.

CiNER is currently working to build two new state-of-the-art glass factories to help increase its glass production capacity to serve the European market.

The first glass plant will be situated in Lommel, Belgium which they hope to have built by 2026 – their second factory is the one earmarked for Ebbw Vale.

On the Ebbw Vale development CiNER said: “The project would be one of the largest investments in South Wales for decades and would look to supply glass bottles to UK food and beverage producers.”

They added that works were progressing at the site.

CiNER have been asked for further comment.