DataVita secures £300m for Scotland AI data center expansion

Data center operator DataVita has secured a £300 million debt facility to expand its presence in Scotland’s North Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone. The financing is supported by a £202 million guarantee from the UK’s National Wealth Fund, which covers 80% of a £252.5 million lending tranche provided by a syndicate including ING, ABN AMRO, and Santander. Additional uncovered funding is provided by the Scottish National Investment Bank and Siemens Financial Services.

The investment will fund the expansion of the existing DV1 facility and the construction of a new DV3 data center. Both sites have been leased to AI cloud provider CoreWeave under 15-year agreements. The project is expected to create approximately 600 construction jobs and 100 permanent high-skilled roles, contributing to the region's goal of becoming an AI infrastructure hub.

In a related development, Dell Technologies will establish a Scottish administrative base at Mercury House within the AI Innovation Park. While the project promises economic growth, some local residents have expressed concerns regarding the environmental impact and the potential strain on local water and energy supplies. In response to such tensions, the Scottish Government has implemented new rules requiring ministers to be notified of data center applications exceeding 50MW.