HFD Renewables unveils plans for North Lanarkshire Energy Park
Proposals for a new wind, solar and innovative battery storage development would deliver renewable power directly to DataVita's data centres at Chapelhall, alongside significant funding for local communities.
HFD Renewables, part of the HFD Group, has submitted a Scoping Request to the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents Unit for North Lanarkshire Energy Park, a proposed wind, solar and innovative battery storage development on land south of the M8, south of Salsburgh and north of Hartwood.
The proposals include up to 19 wind turbines, alongside ground-mounted solar panels and battery storage. The development would incorporate the site of Hartwood Wind Farm, which already has consent for seven turbines and would be replaced by North Lanarkshire Energy Park should the project receive consent.
The scoping report, which sets out how the Environmental Impact Assessment will be carried out, has now been published on the Energy Consents Unit portal. The final layout and generating capacity will be confirmed following the environmental assessment and local consultation, and set out in the planning application.
Delivering long-term benefits for local communities
A key focus of the proposals is maximising the benefits delivered to surrounding communities. HFD Renewables is proposing a Community Benefit Fund of £15,000 per MW per annum, three times the Scottish Government's £5,000 per MW good-practice figure, alongside the opportunity for community shared ownership.
Based on the current wind turbine layout, this could generate around £2 million annually in community funding, accruing as capacity becomes operational, and approximately £50 million over the first 25 years.
Supporting the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone
North Lanarkshire Energy Park would supply renewable power directly to DataVita's data centres at Chapelhall, within the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone.
Also part of HFD Group, DataVita is developing its DV3 data centre, which has planning consent and is currently under construction. The facility has been designed to accommodate a direct connection from new renewable generation alongside its existing grid supply.
The proposed energy park would combine wind and solar generation with innovative vanadium flow battery technology, enabling renewable energy to be stored and supplied directly to the data centres.
Stephen Lewis, Managing Director of HFD Renewables, said:
"North Lanarkshire has good wind and growing demand for renewable power, and AI needs a lot of it. It makes sense to generate that power close to where it's used, and that's what North Lanarkshire Energy Park would do: generate it here, store part of it using innovative vanadium flow battery technology, and supply it straight into DataVita's data centres at Chapelhall.
"The energy park would also put significant funding back into the communities around it every year it runs. It's a substantial proposal and it should be looked at properly. We want people living nearby to see the plans, ask questions and help shape them, and we'd encourage everyone to come along to the public events or view the information and give us their views through our dedicated project website."
Community consultation and next steps
HFD Renewables will hold its first public exhibitions and community consultation on Monday 23 November 2026, providing local residents and stakeholders with an opportunity to learn more about the proposals and share their feedback. The exhibitions will take place at Allanton Community Centre from 11am–3pm and Salsburgh Community Centre from 4pm–8pm. Exhibition materials and a feedback form will also be available from the same day on the North Lanarkshire Energy Park project website.
A second round of public exhibitions and community engagement is planned for early 2027.
Further Informartion
The scoping layout is for up to 19 turbines with a maximum tip height of 220m, together with ground-mounted solar and vanadium flow battery storage. The scoping report is available at www.energyconsents.scot under reference ECU00006366.
Project enquiries: nlenergypark@hfdgroup.com
Media enquiries: SamMcMillan, McMillan Consultancy Ltd, 07779 650514, sam.mcmillan@mcmillan.scot
Image: Blantyre Muir Wind Farm, South Lanarkshire, HFD’s first renewable wind project PPA. Image Credit: HFD Renewables
