Scotland's AI Growth Zone gets a wee £300M power-up

DataVita, a leading datacenter operator, has secured £300 million to expand its campus in Scotland's AI Growth Zone in Lanarkshire. The AI Growth Zone, launched earlier this year, focuses on DataVita's server farm in Airdrie. To fund the expansion, DataVita has obtained financing from a syndicate including ING, ABN AMRO, Santander, Scottish National Investment Bank, and Siemens Financial Services, backed by a £202 million guarantee from the UK's National Wealth Fund.

The funds will be used to expand the existing DV1 facility and construct a new DV3 facility, both providing 40 MW of capacity. The expansion began in December and construction of DV3 started in April, with completion expected by the end of 2023 and summer 2027, respectively. These developments are projected to create around 600 construction jobs and 100 permanent, highly skilled roles once operational.

DataVita aims to establish North Lanarkshire as a hub for AI infrastructure, with the government supporting the initiative through its AI Opportunities Action Plan. Dell Technologies is also moving into the area, setting up a regional office in Lanarkshire's AI Innovation Park for its Scottish team.