Planning pipeline · data as of 18 Oct 2026

Scotland’s Data Centre Map and Tracker

Large data centre proposals in Scotland, from pre-application notices to live planning applications and appeals, plus the sites already operating. Each entry shows its council planning record, where one exists, and its other sources by type, so every claim can be checked against more than one publisher.

How sources are graded: 37 of 47 entries corroborated ↓

Sites

Map: Natural Earth

OperatingUnder constructionApplication lodgedRefused / appealPre-applicationAnnouncedGrid queue onlyStalled

Circle area scales with MW. Hollow rings have no published capacity. Positions are approximate (town or estate level).

Proposed, in progress and stalled

Schemes from first announcement through to a lodged application, plus those under construction, refused or stalled. Most are large AI campuses still at pre-application, and together they would add many times today's operating capacity.

Operating

Data centres running in Scotland today, mostly colocation, bank and research sites in the Central Belt, Aberdeen and Dundee. Most are small; the largest, DataVita DV1 at Chapelhall, is about 24MW.

Planning and policy timeline

How sources are graded

Each entry lists every source we used, labelled by who published it. An entry counts as corroborated when at least two different publishers report it and at least one of them is not a campaign group or a commercial directory.

GovernmentScottish or UK Government, Parliament, the planning appeals division (DPEA), NESO

CouncilLocal authority planning portal records, news or committee papers. Planning records were searched on each council's portal for "data centre" on 18 Oct 2026.

NoticeStatutory planning notices published in local papers

OperatorThe operator's or developer's own website or press release

NewsNewspapers, broadcasters and trade press

CampaignCampaign groups and petitions, including the APRS tracker

DirectoryCommercial data centre listings and property agents

Some news sites block automated link checks, but every link here was found through search and checked on 18 Oct 2026; none returned "not found".

Midlothian

Advanced Computing Facility (EPCC)

University of Edinburgh (EPCC)University of Edinburgh

Operating3 sourcesCapacity not publishedSize unknown

Operating site3 independent sources

CapacityNot publishedSize unknown

Operator

University of Edinburgh (EPCC)

University of Edinburgh

SiteEaster BushMidlothian

Latest planning activityNo recent applications found on the council portal.

Operating · national supercomputer planned.

Overview

Hosts ARCHER2, the UK national supercomputer, and will host the planned £750m successor in Computer Room 4. 30MVA grid supply. IT load not published.

Planning

This site is operating. No data centre consent for this site was found by searching the council portal for "data centre"; older consents are often filed under other descriptions.

Site location: no site boundary is published on the council's planning map for this application. The position shown is approximate.

Search the Midlothian planning portal for the latest documents, consultee responses and public comments.

Sources

GovernmentARCHER supercomputer targets research solutions on epic scale · GOV.UK
OperatorAdvanced Computing Facility · EPCC
OperatorEPCC named the UK's first National Supercomputing Centre · EPCC
OperatorCR4 supercomputer preparation project, Easter Bush · University of Edinburgh