First look at £4BILLION Scots plans for ‘UK's biggest' AI data farm the size of 100 football pitches
Once it is up and running, the developer said the huge facility will support thousands of 'long-term' jobs
BIG REVEAL First look at £4BILLION Scots plans for 'UK's biggest' AI data farm the size of 100 football pitches
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Plans have been unveiled to transform a former steelworks into one of the UK's largest, green, AI data centres, with the developer saying it will create thousands of jobs and billions of pounds of inward investment.
The proposals would see a data centre and battery energy storage facility built on the site of the former Ravenscraig steelworks in Motherwell, which closed in 1992.
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A CGI showing the scale of the plans proposed for part of the former steelworks site at Ravenscraig.
Credit: PA
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Ravenscraig is one of five AI-ready sites Apatura is progressing across Scotland's central belt, backed by over 1.6GW of confirmed grid connections, making them one of only a few UK developers ready to deliver AI infrastructure at this scale.
Credit: PA
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The proposed facility would be built on the 160-acre site of the former Ravenscraig steelworks (Apatura/PA)
Credit: PA
Renewable energy developer Apatura, which is behind the plans, said the facility would "harness Scotland's growing supply of renewables" - including "constrained" - or surplus - wind and solar energy that would otherwise go to waste.
Once it is up and running, Apatura said the £3.9 billion facility will support 2,399 "long-term" jobs and contribute an additional 0.4% to Scotland's annual GDP.
The developer added that the construction phase alone would deliver a one-off £1.2 billion boost to the economy and support "16,000 job years" across Scotland.
Apatura has also put the site forward as a candidate in the UK Government's AI Growth Zone initiative, which aims to support AI-enabled data centres by improving access to power and providing planning assistance.
Apatura's chief executive, Giles Hanglin, said: "This proposal plays strongly to Scotland's strengths - in green energy, in AI, in education and in skills - and would complement the country's significant capabilities in big data and research.
"We've secured the land and grid, and we're already working closely with relevant organisations locally and nationally to make sure the benefits are widely felt.
"If we were selected as an AI Growth Zone it would be a significant endorsement of our ambition to make Scotland a powerhouse of green, AI-enabled digital infrastructure - starting with Ravenscraig and extending across the central belt."
The proposed development is one of five "AI-ready" sites Apatura is progressing across Scotland's central belt, backed, the company said, by more than 1.6 gigawatts of "confirmed" grid connections.
The developer added that by making use of surplus renewable energy the sites would play a "vital role" in reducing constrained energy payments, which are paid to energy suppliers to reduce output when it exceeds grid capacity.
Apature said constrained energy payments cost £1 billion last year and are forecast to rise to £3 billion by 2030.
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Russell Wilkie, director of Ravenscraig, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for Ravenscraig to be at the forefront of green data centres which will transform Scotland's renewable power capabilities.
"With grid connections in place, land secured, and a delivery team aligned, we have a fully viable site within the Ravenscraig masterplan to meet the UK's AI infrastructure needs.
"This multi-billion pound investment project is a platform for national progress, combining energy, digital infrastructure, and regional innovation to create tangible economic and social benefits for Scotland and for the wider UK economy."
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The former steelworks site at Ravenscraig as it once was, before it closed in 1992
Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
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A CGI showing the ambitious plans
Credit: PA
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Another image showing how the AI date farm may look
Credit: PA
Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke MP Pamela Nash described the plans as "the kind of joined-up thinking and forward-looking delivery the UK needs".
"Ravenscraig stands ready for the next chapter, a world-class digital and AI hub powered by Scotland's renewable strength, creating thousands of local jobs during construction, driving billions in economic value, and transforming post-industrial land into the beating heart of a green, future-ready economy," she said.
She added: "It's not just about building infrastructure, it's about rebuilding prosperity, restoring pride, and delivering a new era of sustainable industry. I look forward to seeing Ravenscraig lead the way."
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