Lloyds has shelved its plans for a £250m data centre near Lockerbie in Dumfries & Galloway, paving the way for a 200,000 sq ft site in Darlington, County Durham.
Lloyds had entered into a conditional deal with Internet Villages International to buy a 250-acre site in Ecclefechan, Scotland.
The acquisition, code-named Project Horizon, was conditional on planning consent being granted for what would have become Scotland’s largest data centre.
But Lloyds has now announced that it has shelved the plans following a spending review ordered by incoming chief executive Antonio Horta-Orsorio.
The decision paves the way for Lloyds’ application, submitted in November, to build a 200,000 sq ft data storage facility at Whessoe Grange Farm in Darlington.
Lloyds had stressed that it would build only one of the centres, with its choice depending on whichever won more local support.
A spokesman said today: “We are still considering potential locations to build a new data centre, however we will not be progressing with the site near Ecclefechan.
“A number of factors, including costs and relative location to other major business sites, are taken into consideration in making this decision.
“We are still reviewing a number of strategic options across the UK and no final decision on this has yet been made.”
CB Richard Ellis is advising Lloyds; IVI is unrepresented.
Nick.whitten@estatesgazette.com
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