Lanarkshire announced as next AI Growth Zone

30 Jan 2026 04:04 PM

Scotland will host a new AI Growth Zone in Lanarkshire, as delivered by UK-based data centre firm DataVita, in partnership with AI cloud provider CoreWeave.

The project in Airdrie is backed by £8.2 billion in private investment and is expected to create more than 3,400 jobs, including around 800 high-value AI roles spanning research, engineering, and data centre operations.

At least 50 apprenticeships will also be delivered to support the next generation of Scottish AI talent, alongside wider skills and training programmes linked to local universities and businesses.

A new community fund of up to £543 million will be established over the next 15 years to support local programmes, including skills, training, cost-of-living support, and community services.

When complete, the Lanarkshire site is planned to have more than 500MW of on-site power generation over the next four years and to prioritise renewable energy sources, including nearby solar and wind capacity, alongside innovative approaches to managing AI-related energy demand. Excess heat generated by the data centres will be captured and explored for reuse, including potential future supply to University Hospital Monklands.

Link to Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan update

The announcement forms part of the delivery of the AI Opportunities Action Plan, published in January 2025. The government reports that 38 of the Plan’s 50 commitments have now been met, with progress tracked via a new public dashboard. AI Growth Zones are positioned in the plan as a key mechanism for 20x-ing the UK’s compute capacity and regional growth and AI adoption.

techUK’s position

techUK welcomes the Government’s announcement of a new AI Growth Zone (AIGZ) in Lanarkshire and continues to support the ambition set out in the AI Opportunities Action Plan. The technology sector stands ready to work with Government to accelerate the adoption of AI, spur regional investment, and strengthen the UK’s position as a global AI leader.

While we are supportive of this, there are ongoing concerns about the delivery of this policy and the barriers - particularly planning, energy costs and connections - that still need to be overcome to maximise the success of AIGZs and compute infrastructure across the UK more broadly. 

Moreover, a successful AIGZ should be more than simply a physical location or building. It should be an adoption flywheel that drives deep adoption of AI alongside the compute infrastructure needed. Focusing many of the welcome AI Skills and adoption announcements made by Government this week into AIGZ would be a good step in helping to create this virtuous circle.

techUK is keeping track of the 2026 updates to the AI Opportunities Action Plan. A full summary of all the announcements this month is forthcoming.