Last year, the government announced an AI Opportunity Action Plan that included establishing AI Growth Zones “to accelerate the build-out of AI data centres”.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the development would create jobs and directly help families with their living costs.
“Doing well in life shouldn’t mean traveling miles from your hometown for work while struggling to pay your bills at home,” he says.
“By bringing billions of pounds of investment into Lanarkshire, we are creating good, high-paying jobs and providing financial support that directly helps families with their living costs.”
Scottish Secretary Kirsty McNeill said the news marks the next chapter for North Lanarkshire, known for its coal and steel manufacturing heritage.
DataVita managing director Danny Quinn said the move goes “beyond the physical building” and the benefits will be local.
“We are creating innovation parks, new energy infrastructure, and attracting inward investment from the world’s leading technology companies,” he said.
“This is a huge opportunity for North Lanarkshire and Scotland and we want local people to share in it.”
