Artificial Intelligence (AI) Growth Zone correspondence: FOI release

Information requested

1. If held, the application (or equivalent submission) for the site in Airdrie, Lanarkshire to become an “AI Growth Zone”, as it was designated in January 2026.

2. Any bid, proposal, expression of interest, outline business case, submission, or supporting documentation prepared or submitted by the Scottish Government (or jointly with partners) in relation to the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone designation.

3. A list of any meetings, calls, or formal engagements between the Scottish Government and representatives of DataVita or CoreWeave relating to the AI Growth Zone, including (where held):

• meeting dates 
• attendees
• agendas or purposes of meetings
• and any minutes, notes, or briefing materials.

4. Any correspondence between the Scottish Government and North Lanarkshire Council relating to the proposed Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone designation.

Response

I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested in PDF Format.

The answer to your requests are as follows:

1. The Scottish Government holds the AIGZ application, although it originated from a third party. The information has been assessed as commercially sensitive under section 33(1)(b) of FOISA, as it contains detailed information relating to a live project, including commercially confidential assumptions and material relevant to ongoing investment, infrastructure planning and commercial negotiations.

Disclosure at this stage would likely prejudice the commercial interests of the parties involved. The exemption has therefore been applied.

2. We have attached a copy of the due diligence drafted by the Scottish Government to support an AI Growth Zone bid. This document contains redactions under section 33(1)(b) of FOISA in relation to the scoping for proposed sites that do not relate to this application and has been deemed as commercially sensitive.

3. The Scottish Government has identified the following engagements as being within the scope of your request:

Date	Parties	Purpose	Information held
December 2025	Scottish Government, DataVita and CoreWeave	Introductory discussion regarding AI Growth Zone proposal	Briefing material and meeting note provided
13 March 2026	Scottish Government, DataVita and North Lanarkshire Council	Informal project update discussion	No formal agenda or minute held
15 May 2026	Scottish Government, DataVita and North Lanarkshire Council	Informal project update discussion	No formal agenda or minute held

Certain personal information relating to attendees has been withheld under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information).

4. The Scottish Government holds a range of information relevant to this aspect of your request and these have been provided in this response.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption(s) under the following sections:

• s.25(1) - Information otherwise accessible
• s.29(1)(a) - Formulation or development of Scottish Government policy
• s.33(1)(b) - Commercial interests

These exemptions are subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption.

• s.38(1)(b) - Personal data relating to third party

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202600515692 - Information Released - Annex

File type

PDF

File size

6.3 MB