AI Infrastructure Firm Proposes Data Center at Former Welsh Chemical Plant
January 12, 2026 The repurposing of industrial brownfield sites for digital infrastructure is gaining momentum across the UK, driven by the soaring demand for artificial intelligence (AI) compute capacity and strategic government initiatives to decentralize growth. AI infrastructure firm Carbon3.ai has submitted a planning application to Anglesey County Council to convert the former Octel chemical plant in Amlwch Port, North Wales, into a new AI data center. The proposal involves adapting and reusing existing buildings on the site to create what the company describes as a "modern, energy-efficient AI center that will provide secure, sustainable and high-capacity computing infrastructure." The site, which produced bromine for over 50 years before closing in 2004, was reportedly sold to an unnamed buyer last year. While the specific capacity and opening timeline for the Anglesey facility are not detailed in the application, site plans indicate a single data hall. The development aligns with the UK government's designation of Wales as an AI Growth Zone, an initiative aimed at encouraging data center investments through benefits like priority grid access. Carbon3.ai, which launched a sovereign AI platform in September 2025, claims to have 50MW of available capacity and a development pipeline of 4.5GW across the UK. The company, a subsidiary of power plant operator Valencia Energy, has previously announced plans for a modular AI facility in Derbyshire and a deal with Nvidia to deploy its Blackwell Ultra AI infrastructure. This project exemplifies a broader trend of converting dormant industrial assets into critical digital infrastructure. If approved, it would bring high-tech investment to North Wales, supporting regional economic objectives and contributing to the UK's strategic goal of building domestic, sovereign AI capabilities. The focus on reusing existing structures also presents a potential model for sustainable development within the energy-intensive data center sector. Source: datacenterdynamics
