![\"Data](\"https:\/\/dailybusinessgroup.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Soben-data-centre.png\")
One in five of the UK\u2019s data centres could be housed in Scotland, according to a new report as evidence\u00a0suggests there could be many more data centres built in Scotland than\u00a0are\u00a0in the current planning system.<\/p>\n
There are\u00a024\u00a0proposed\u00a0and publicly\u00a0known\u00a0projects at\u00a0different stages\u00a0of planning and pre-planning, the latest being a project proposed for the site of the former IBM plant in Greenock.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0National Energy System Operator\u00a0(NESO),\u00a0which\u00a0is\u00a0responsible for planning and operating UK energy systems,\u00a0has\u00a0stated that\u00a0up to\u00a020% of the UK\u2019s data centres could\u00a0be located in Scotland, despite\u00a0the country making\u00a0up just 8% of the UK\u00a0population.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This\u00a0suggests\u00a0that\u00a0Scotland could be the location for more than 70\u00a0data centres\u00a0to meet UK demand, or\u00a016GW\u00a0of capacity, which is\u00a0equivalent\u00a0to\u00a0the electricity\u00a0used\u00a0by\u00a08 million\u00a0homes.<\/p>\n
Business groups and public bodies are lobbying for more data centres which are seen as essential to drive technological change and handle increasing demand for digital services.<\/p>\n
Communities\u00a0are expressing concerns over\u00a0the impact of proposed\u00a0hyperscale\u00a0data centre developments, though proposals for brownfield sites may secure a more favourable response. <\/p>\n
Slate Island Developments has applied to Inverclyde Council to redevelop the vacant land occupied by IBM at Spango Valley for 60 years. It closed in 2016 and the buildings were demolished in 2020.<\/p>\n The 70-acre site is owned by McGill\u2019s Buses owners Sandy and James Easdale who failed to secure plans for housing.<\/p>\n The indicative proposal from Slate Island Developments includes four data centre buildings providing around 80,000 sq m of floorspace. <\/p>\n The Scottish government has demanded that local authorities notify it of large scale proposals.<\/p>\n NESO\u2019s\u00a0statement\u00a0was made as part of its response to the inquiry into data centres by the UK Parliament\u2019s Environmental Audit Committee.\u00a0Separately, Ofgem has\u00a0said\u00a0that data centre plans will require\u00a080GW\u00a0across the UK.\u00a0Current\u00a0plans in\u00a0Scotland\u00a0add up\u00a04.5GW\u00a0but\u00a0this\u00a0would\u00a0need\u00a0to rise\u00a0to 16GW\u00a0to meet NESO\u2019s projection, according to Friends of the Earth Scotland.<\/p>\n Last week, the UK Government announced a \u00a3300 million investment in an AI Growth Zone in North Lanarkshire.<\/p>\n Kim Pratt, senior campaigner for Friends of the Earth Scotland said: \u201cIt seems that\u00a0current\u00a0plans, which have already seen\u00a0massive\u00a0pushback\u00a0against\u00a0huge data centres across Scotland,\u00a0are only the\u00a0tip of the iceberg,\u00a0and that numbers could triple\u00a0to over 70\u00a0data centres\u00a0in Scotland\u00a0if UK projections are acted on.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u2018The Scottish Government\u00a0has an\u00a0opportunity\u00a0to\u00a0stand up to\u00a0Westminster\u00a0by\u00a0introducing\u00a0a moratorium on data centres in its plansfor the next\u00a0year,\u00a0which\u00a0will be published tomorrow\u00a0(1 September).\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cCouncils need\u00a0guidance\u00a0on these\u00a0decisions\u00a0so they\u00a0can\u00a0protect people and\u00a0nature\u00a0until\u00a0proper safeguards\u00a0on these monster developments are\u00a0put in\u00a0place.<\/p>\n \u2018The UK Government and its bodies are pushing data centres and their polluting and harmful impacts north of the border, creating an unfair burden for the people of Scotland. Planning powers are devolved so the UK Government has no right to do this.\u201d<\/p>\n \t <\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dailybusinessgroup.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/The-abandoned-IBM-site-in-2016-vid.png\")