Decision pendingScotland, Scotland

Greenock IBM site (Spango Valley) data centre

A planning permission in principle application for four data centre buildings (about 80,000 sq m) was validated by Inverclyde Council on 26 August 2026 and the comments deadline of 16 September 2026 has passed. No committee date or decision was found as of 3 October 2026. ^{[S1] [S2] [S3]}

Key facts

Status: Decision pending (application submitted) ^{[S1] [S2] [S3]}
Decided by: Inverclyde Council (planning authority); Scottish Ministers must be notified of applications over 50MW under the 17 August 2026 direction, but no call-in found ^{[S1] [S7] [S8]}
Applicant: Slate Island Developments Ltd (APRS calls it Slate Islands Development) ^{[S1] [S3] [S4] [S6]}
Developer or backer: Land reported as owned by Sandy and James Easdale
End user (reported): Not named. DCD (25 March 2026) reported 'strong interest' from an unnamed data centre operator.
References: 26/0136/IC; 22/0225/IC
Location: Cleared former IBM manufacturing campus in Spango Valley, off Inverkip Road. IBM opened the site in 1954 and closed it in 2017; buildings were demolished by 2020. ^{[S1] [S3] [S4]}
Total power: 150MW ^{[S1] [S3] [S4]}
Site area: 28 ha ^{[S1] [S3] [S4]}
Buildings: Four data centre buildings, maximum height about 18m ^{[S1] [S3] [S4]}
On-site generation: Separate battery energy storage system of about 99MW (DCD, Construction Review) consented via the Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit under section 36 (Construction Review, PAD). APRS says over 50MW. ^{[S1] [S4] [S6]}
Previous use: Former IBM factory (1954 to 2017), demolished 2020; brownfield. Retained woodland around boundaries. ^{[S1] [S8] [S9]}
Environmental assessment: Screening opinion of 22 May 2026: EIA not required (APRS). APRS notes the earlier mixed-use scheme did require full EIA and disputes the screening decision. A Scottish Government EIA direction for data centres over 50MW came into force on 17 September 2026; whether it affects this already-lodged application is not addressed in the government text seen. ^{[S1] [S8] [S9]}

Timeline

25 March 2026
DCD reports Slate Island Developments plans a data centre and 99MW battery storage at the former IBM site, seeking permission by end of 2026. ^[S6]
22 April 2026
EIA screening request submitted (per APRS). ^[S1]
22 May 2026
EIA screening decision: EIA not required (per APRS, which disputes the decision). ^[S1]
17 August 2026
Scottish Government direction requires planning authorities to notify Scottish Ministers within seven days of validating data centre applications over 50MW. ^{[S7] [S8]}
26 August 2026
Application validated by Inverclyde Council (per APRS). ^[S1]
1 September 2026
Trade and property press report the application, four buildings of about 80,000 sq m, with a separate BESS consent route via the Energy Consents Unit. ^{[S3] [S4] [S5]}
16 September 2026
Comments deadline (per APRS). Same day, Scottish Government publishes a direction requiring EIA for new data centres over 50MW, in force 17 September 2026, and the Scottish Parliament passes a non-binding motion that no hyperscale planning or consenting decisions be made until national guidance is complete. ^{[S1] [S8] [S9] [S10]}

Politicians and organisations

APRS (objection filed)
Local Facebook campaign group (name not confirmed)

Claims

Claims by developers, campaigners or councils, recorded as claims and not checked as fact.

Slate Island Developments (as reported by Construction Enquirer and Construction Review) (developer): The proposal would bring a long-vacant brownfield site back into productive use and avoid developing Green Belt land. ^{[S3] [S5]}
Slate Island Developments (as reported) (developer): A housing-led masterplan approved in 2022 failed to secure a viable end user. ^{[S5] [S6]}
Slate Island Developments (as reported by Construction Review) (developer): A separate BESS could ease pressure on the grid and reduce operating costs for the data centre. ^[S5]
As reported by Construction Review; not confirmed elsewhere (developer): Planning determination is targeted for November 2026. ^[S5]
APRS (campaigners): The EIA screening decision was wrong and a full EIA is required. ^{[S1] [S2]}
APRS press release (an estimate; the application does not state it per APRS) (campaigners): Estimated demand of 200 to 300MW based on comparable Scottish sites. ^[S2]

Campaigns

APRS objection and MSP email action on EIA
Local Facebook campaign group (name not found)

Sources

[S1] Greenock Data Centre. Action to Protect Rural Scotland. Level 6 source.
[S2] Planning application submitted for a Hyperscale data centre in Greenock would replace plans for development of 450 homes. Action to Protect Rural Scotland, 31 August 2026. Level 6 source.
[S3] Data centre plan unveiled for former IBM site. Construction Enquirer, 1 September 2026. Level 4 source.
[S4] Spango Valley Data Centre Plans Submitted in Greenock. PAD Magazine, 1 September 2026. Level 4 source.
[S5] 80,000sq-m Spango Valley Data Center and 99MW BESS Projects Planned at Former IBM Site in Scotland. Construction Review Online, 1 September 2026. Level 5 source.
[S6] Former IBM factory site in Scotland earmarked for data center & BESS development. DatacenterDynamics, 25 March 2026. Level 5 source.
[S7] Scottish Government introduces mandatory oversight for major AI data centre developments. The Scottish Review, 17 August 2026. Level 4 source.
[S8] Direction for new data centres. Scottish Government, 16 September 2026. Level 1 source.
[S9] Data centres: Chief Planner Letter and EIA Direction. Scottish Government, 16 September 2026. Level 1 source.
[S10] Parliament votes to pause data centre applications until guidance is in place. Action to Protect Rural Scotland, 17 September 2026. Level 6 source.

Take action on this scheme

Record

Confidence: medium
Last checked: 3 October 2026
Status as of: 3 October 2026

Spotted a mistake? hello@datacentrewatch.uk

Not yet confirmed

Whether Inverclyde Council notified Scottish Ministers within seven days of validation and whether ministers have called the application in (no evidence found)
Whether the 17 September 2026 EIA direction applies to this lodged application or the council will revisit the May 2026 screening opinion
Number of public representations received by 16 September 2026
Committee date; the developer-linked November 2026 target is unconfirmed
Exact IT or grid capacity in MW from the application documents
Statutory consultee positions (SEPA, Scottish Water, Transport Scotland)
Name and URL of the local Facebook group
Exact date of the 2022 approval of 22/0225/IC and whether it remains extant

Where sources disagree

power demand: 150MW maximum (APRS site page); 200 to 300MW estimated (APRS press release, based on comparable sites); Not stated (Construction Enquirer, geomechanics). Preferred: 150MW, labelled as APRS-reported. Site page is the later and more specific APRS statement; the press release itself says actual capacity is not specified in the application. Confirm on the council portal.
floorspace/buildings: Four buildings, about 80,000 sq m (Construction Enquirer, APRS); Two buildings of 34,500 and 40,000 sq m (DCD, March 2026). Preferred: Four buildings, about 80,000 sq m. Later reports (September 2026) match the submitted application; DCD described an earlier pre-application design.
date of 17 August direction vs EIA direction: Notification direction 17 August 2026 (Scottish Review, gov.scot); EIA direction published 16 September, in force 17 September 2026 (gov.scot). Preferred: Both are real and distinct. Some secondary sites blur them; gov.scot treats the EIA direction as building on the earlier notification direction.