Overview
200-acre site. First phase of 600MW, with offshore wind via private wire under consideration. 1,000 construction jobs and 100 permanent roles claimed.
Sources disagree: The Chamber of Commerce (relaying the Press and Journal) reported in April 2026 that phase one was approved. Aberdeenshire Council's planning portal shows no data centre application, PAN or screening request at Blackdog. Any consent is likely the older business-land allocation DCD describes, not a data centre permission.
The developer's case
Presented as a generational investment for the north-east, powered by offshore wind through private wires. Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce DIGIT
Ashfield Land website ↗
Claim Construction: Up to 1,000 construction jobs Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
Jobs in context
Permanent jobs claimed100
At the 1.6 per MW study averageabout 960for 600 MW
Claimed jobs per MW0.17
This scheme's claim0.17
Industry modeltechUK, based on older, smaller sites8.5
Planned UK sitesVerdant study of 20 schemes, 20261.6
QTS Cambois, Northumberland720 MW, about 400 jobs0.56
Permanent jobs per megawatt of capacity. This claim is below the study's average for planned sites.
Construction jobs are real but temporary. Figures for "job-years", "jobs supported" or "indirect" jobs count work elsewhere in the economy, not people on site. The per-MW measure comes from the think tank Verdant; techUK says it misses jobs supported outside the site, and the UK Government calls it misleading. The Next Web Resultsense
Claimed benefits
| Investment | Not stated |
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| Local spend | Not stated |
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| Economic value (GVA) | Not stated |
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| Community benefit | Not stated |
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| Skills and training | Not stated |
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| Other | Promise only Up to 2,000 indirect jobs elsewhere in the economy Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce |
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- Developer estimate The developer's own figure for what it plans to spend. Not a commitment.
- Modelled estimate Comes from an economic model the developer paid for. Not checked independently.
- Promise only Not yet written into a legal agreement (Section 75) or a planning condition, so it cannot be enforced.
- Secured Written into a signed legal agreement or planning condition.
None of these benefits is secured yet for any scheme we track. GVA (gross value added) is the economic output a scheme is modelled to add.
Site and design
The opening lines summarise in our own words how the developer presents the scheme. Items marked Claim are the developer's own figures, not independently checked.
The objectors' case
No organised objection or formal objections found yet. Know of a campaign group? Use Report incorrect data at the top of the page.
Planning
Where it stands: No data centre application on the council portal.
Proposal of application noticeNot found on the council portal
EIA screening or scopingNot found on the council portal
Planning application lodgedNot yet lodged
Council decision
Site location: no planning application yet, so there is no application site to map. The position shown is approximate.
Council Aberdeenshire Council: no data centre application at Blackdog on the planning portal. Searched 18 Oct 2026.
Rules that apply
- Over 50MW, the council must notify Scottish Ministers within seven days of validating an application (in force since 17 Aug 2026). Scottish Government
- Over 50MW, an Environmental Impact Assessment is now mandatory (Direction of 16 Sep 2026), including for applications already in the system. Scottish Government
- On 16 Sep 2026 MSPs backed pausing planning decisions on large data centres for up to 12 months while national guidance is drafted, expected by December 2026. Resultsense
- For a major development, the developer must lodge a proposal of application notice and hold at least two public events, and cannot submit the application until 12 weeks after the notice.
Search the Aberdeenshire planning portal for the latest documents, consultee responses and public comments.
