Second data centre planned for Lanarkshire as regulations tightened

7 minutes ago DataVita The hub will be based at the company DataVita's data centre site in Airdrie. A second data centre is set to be built in North Lanarkshire as part of an ongoing drive to turn the region into a technology hub. News that tech company DataVita intend to expand their current site in Airdrie and construct a second centre in the area came as the Scottish government tightened regulations on planning permission for the facilities. Planning authorities will be required to notify Scottish ministers of new data centre applications within seven days of validation if they exceed 50 megawatts (MW) in power capacity. At the time the UK government claimed it could bring more than £8 billion in private investment to the area, accompanied by a new community fund worth about £543 million over 15 years. DataVita has now announced a £300 million plan to expand the zone, which will see tech giant Dell Technologies base their Scottish team at Lanarkshire AI Innovation Park. Those behind the development say it will support more than 3,400 jobs—though this figure includes temporary construction jobs—and create skills and training opportunities to help local people access careers in tech. Danny Quinn, managing director at DataVita, stated: 'This type of investment in Scotland's data centre infrastructure would have been unthinkable just two or three years ago. That is the impact AI is having.' Scotland has all the right ingredients to take advantage of the AI revolution and make it a core part of its economy. Public concerns persist regarding the economic gains of data centres and their impact on communities. Residents near proposed sites have raised concerns about noise, construction damage, and energy/water consumption. On Monday, public finance minister Hannah Mary Goodlad emphasized the need for a balance between economic and employment interests in data centres and the potential impact on local communities. She introduced new regulations requiring notification of new data centre applications exceeding 50 MW within seven days of validation, to support strategic monitoring of wider infrastructure implications. The Scottish government's economy secretary Stephen Flynn hailed the new investment, stating: 'The Scottish government's AI Strategy sets out a clear plan to harness the economic and social benefits of AI.' The investment includes a £202 million guarantee from the National Wealth Fund private investment programme, and Dell will move from Glasgow to Lanarkshire. Steve Young, senior vice president and UK managing director of Dell, said it would benefit the company to be part of a growing community and strengthen relationships across the country. UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan added: 'Today's announcements matter—they will help ensure Scotland is at the forefront of one of the biggest economic opportunities of our time, bringing investment, reindustrialisation, and opportunities to communities like Lanarkshire.'