CX Tech proposes £16.5bn data centre campus at Chapelcross

CX Tech has submitted planning applications for a proposed 1GW data centre campus at Chapelcross in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. The project, located north of the former Chapelcross nuclear power station, represents an estimated £16.5 billion investment and would include approximately 162,000 square metres of floorspace across eight buildings, alongside a training centre and supporting infrastructure.

The proposal has drawn criticism from the Scottish Greens, who argue the facility would place an unsustainable strain on Scotland’s energy grid and increase household energy costs. Environmental concerns have also been raised; the developer’s own assessment indicates a “moderate adverse and significant” impact on the environment, with projected emissions potentially doubling the legal limit for greenhouse gases in the Dumfries and Galloway region.

The application arrives as Scotland implements stricter scrutiny for large-scale data centres, including a new requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment for any facility exceeding 50MW. While the Scottish Parliament has supported non-binding motions for national planning strategies, the government has not yet enacted a formal moratorium on such developments.