Renewables developer Apatura is leading a landmark initiative to develop a 550MW data centre on 160 acres of post-industrial land east of Glasgow, powered by Scotland’s rapidly expanding surplus of wind and solar energy. Reports Contract Journal
The project represents a significant step in the transformation of the former Ravenscraig steelworks, a site once home to Europe’s largest hot strip mill, which ceased operations in 1992.
The planned data centre—one of five AI-ready sites Apatura is progressing across Scotland’s central belt—will be located at the SevenFourEight industrial zone, directly adjacent to the Wishaw Deviation freight railway and offering seamless connectivity to both the M74 and M8 motorways.
This development forms part of Apatura’s submission to the UK Government’s AI Growth Zone programme, which is actively assessing high-potential sites to drive forward Britain’s national AI infrastructure. The proposal is currently under review by the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology.
Initial forecasts indicate the scheme could deliver a £1.2 billion GVA uplift during the construction phase, supporting more than 16,000 job years, and creating 2,399 long-term roles once operational.
“We’ve secured the land and the grid – and we’re already collaborating with both local and national partners to ensure the benefits of this project are far-reaching.”
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