Ravenscraig to house giant AI data centre and battery storage farm on 160-acre site

A former Scottish steelworks could house one of the UK’s largest data centre and battery storage facilities in a move that its backers claim will generate billions of pounds of inward investment.

Part of the Ravenscraig site would become a “green AI data centre” under the proposals put forward by renewable energy developer Apatura, which is based in Edinburgh and York.

The data centre with battery energy storage would be located on a 160-acre site at the iconic post-industrial location in North Lanarkshire, and would be powered by 550 megawatts of grid connections due to come online by 2030. The Ravenscraig steelworks - once the largest hot strip steel mill in western Europe - was closed in the early 1990s. It is now one of Europe’s largest brownfield regeneration and community creation initiatives.

A CGI showing the scale of the plans proposed for part of the former steelworks site at Ravenscraig.

Ravenscraig is one of five “AI-ready” sites Apatura is progressing across Scotland’s Central Belt, backed by some 1.6 gigawatts of confirmed grid connections. The firm said it was working closely with North Lanarkshire Council and site owner Ravenscraig Ltd to advance its proposal.

Company bosses said the development could be “transformational” for the area and the Scottish economy more broadly. It is estimated the project will cost £3.9 billion to build.

According to an independent socio-economic study, the construction activity would deliver a one-off £1.2bn GVA (gross value added) boost, supporting in excess of 16,000 “job years” across Scotland. The ongoing annual GVA contribution is estimated at £729 million, supporting more than 2,000 long-term jobs (direct, indirect and induced).

Additionally, developing high-demand data centres in the Central Belt could play a vital role in reducing grid constraint payments, which cost nearly £1bn last year and are forecast to rise to £3bn by 2030.

Another CGI showing the data centre facility proposed for the former steelworks site at Ravenscraig in North Lanarkshire.

Apatura 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.”

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.”

This latest proposal forms part of Ravenscraig’s regeneration, with development earmarked for the site to the east of the Wishaw Deviation freight railway line, and the remaining vacant employment land, known as SevenFourEight.

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