A £51m border control post built for post-Brexit checks will sit empty, the Welsh government has said. The facility at Parc Cybi near Holyhead port in Anglesey received £44m in funding from the UK government, and wasbuilt to allow checks on animals and plants entering the UK from Ireland after the UK left the EU. But despite it being finished,a new deal negotiated between the EU and the UKnow means the majority of the imports might not need to be checked. Wales' Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies also scrapped similar sites in Fishguard and Pembroke Dock and said Parc Cybi will remain under review until final details of the agreement are known. In a statement, he said he would not proceed with the final commissioning and staffing of the Holyhead site, and longer term plans can only be made once the UK's deal with the EU is finalised. "In the meantime, it is crucial that it remains ready and available as a potential BCP facility," he added. Despite the UK leaving the European Union more than five years ago, there were delays to implementing the checks over concerns that it would lead to price rises for businesses and consumers. A common understanding between the UK and the EU was announced in May 2025, as part of efforts to reset their post-Brexit relationship. Details of the agreement are to be negotiated, but it aims to reduce trade barriers for food, plants, and animal products to make trade between the UK and EU cheaper and easier. If agreed, it would exempt many imports of live animals and goods from sanitary and phytosanitary checks at the border. The Welsh government began constructing the post with Kier Construction, the main contractor on the project, in March 2024 and it was anticipated to be completed by autumn 2025. Holyhead is the busiest Irish Sea ferry port, handling more than 75% of imports from Ireland to Great Britain. The site planned to create jobs in the local area, with up to 30 employees expected to staff the site over a 24-hour period. The Welsh government said it remained committed to providing sufficient notice for traders and delivery partners should any new border checks need to be introduced.
Post-Brexit £51m border control post to sit empty
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"Welsh Government Confirms New £51m Border Control Post Will Remain Unused"
Bbc News
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TruthLens AI Summary
The Welsh government has announced that a newly constructed £51 million border control post at Parc Cybi, near Holyhead port in Anglesey, will remain unused due to changes in trade agreements between the UK and the EU. Originally funded with £44 million from the UK government, this facility was designed to facilitate checks on animals and plants entering the UK from Ireland following Brexit. However, a recent deal negotiated between the EU and the UK has resulted in a significant reduction in the need for such checks, rendering the facility unnecessary for the time being. Huw Irranca-Davies, Wales' Deputy First Minister, also confirmed that similar projects in Fishguard and Pembroke Dock have been canceled, indicating a shift in the Welsh government’s approach to border control in light of the new trade agreement. The Parc Cybi facility will remain under review until further details of the agreement are finalized, and plans for commissioning and staffing will be postponed as a result.
Despite the UK officially leaving the EU over five years ago, the implementation of post-Brexit checks had faced delays due to concerns about potential price increases for businesses and consumers. The new understanding announced in May 2025 aims to ease trade barriers for food, plants, and animal products, making trade between the UK and EU more efficient and cost-effective. If the agreement is finalized, it could exempt many imports from live animals and goods from sanitary and phytosanitary checks at the border. The construction of the border post, undertaken by Kier Construction, began in March 2024, with an initial completion date set for autumn 2025. This facility was expected to create local employment opportunities, with projections of up to 30 staff members to operate it around the clock. The Welsh government has assured that they will provide adequate notice to traders and delivery partners if the need for new border checks arises in the future.
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