Today, the UK’s digital economy is at a crossroads. Artificial intelligence is accelerating demand for computing power, cloud services continue to expand, and data is a core part of how public services, businesses and economies operate.
However, this digital economy currently has an infrastructure ‘deficit’ to support its ambition. We must address this imbalance today to secure the future.
That is where Chapelcross comes in. It stands as a national asset which once powered the homes, industry and communities of the UK.
This present-day infrastructure can be utilised once more to turn Chapelcross into CX Technology Campus, a next-generation hub for digital infrastructure, AI and clean energy.
We previously outlined how bringing together data centres, energy systems and skills development can put Chapelcross at the forefront of one of the fastest growing sectors in the world.
In doing so, it can deliver lasting benefits for Dumfries and Galloway while also strengthening the UK’s digital economy. Here is how Chapelcross today can create this new future.
Linked to the grid
Chapelcross has in place established, high-capacity grid connections designed to support large-scale, continuous energy demand. This infrastructure provides a level of resilience and capacity that is increasingly difficult to replicate elsewhere in the UK.
Grid access is one of the primary constraints on new digital and energy developments. This provides a significant advantage for CX Technology Campus, as it enables the rapid deployment of energy-intensive uses such as data centres and advanced computing without the delays associated with a new grid build-out.
Just two miles from the M74 and A75, Chapelcross – close to the town of Annan – is well connected to regional and national transport links. This accessibility supports the construction phase and long-term operations. It also strengthens the site’s integration into wider economic networks, ensuring that it is not isolated but part of a connected, functioning system that supports supply chains and workforce mobility.
Chapelcross is also positioned within reach of some of the UK’s most significant renewable energy resources, particularly onshore and offshore wind in southern Scotland and the Irish Sea.
However, Chapelcross is taking none of this for granted. Presently, an Environmental Impact Assessment is underway that will look in detail at topics including traffic, noise, ecology and visual impact. This present-day work will ultimately shape the final design, leading to a Planning Permission in Principle being submitted that will establish the principle for the development..
Vision for tomorrow
The transformation of Chapelcross into CX Technology Campus will not happen overnight. It will be a journey which will be outlined further in our next post.
But it is an opportunity to use what presently exists to create lasting local and UK-wide impact, and further our vision for a future driven by digital growth and delivered using clean energy.
Chapelcross today stands ready to deliver a new future.