Subject to approval, the centre, which is anticipated to run on green energy, will have a lifespan that sits at a minimum of 30 years, as covered by ScottishNews.com.

Located on the grounds of the former Chapelcross nuclear plant, the planning application submitted by the UK-based infrastructure and development management company CX Tech Ltd has expressed hope to begin work on the project next year. 

The proposed project is in line with efforts to redevelop the site, according to the company. 

Opponents to the plans have expressed concerns over the visual effect of the project, as well as the impact on local energy supplies and costs.

Historically used as a Royal Air Force base until 1944, the site had limited minor operations continuing until 1952.

A wider site was then used for Chapelcross Nuclear Power Station, which was active from 1959 and produced electricity until 2004. 

The landmark cooling towers came down a few years after, with the de-fuelling of the nuclear reactors being delivered in 2013.

The land is owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority but is situated outside of the former power station’s Nuclear Licensed Area.

A planning statement on behalf of the applicant said advantages of the project would include providing “critical digital infrastructure” and “returning a nationally significant site to productive economic use”.

Graeme Anderson, chief executive of CX Tech, said: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Dumfries and Galloway and for Scotland.

“Chapelcross has the potential to bring together our renewable energy strengths, digital infrastructure and high-value jobs in a way that few other sites can.”

The plans have been met with a local campaign against the project, with the Scottish government anticipated to release national guidance for local authorities on such projects within the next three months.

Campaigners have said that the “large-scale industrialisation” of the area is “unacceptable”.

Campaigners also expressed worries about the depletion of agricultural land and woodland.

Action to Protect Rural Scotland (APRS) has said the data centre’s capacity, at 1000MW, is larger than any data centre currently operating globally. 

APRS also said most of the project would be on greenfield land rather than brownfield. 

It also said that the energy needs of the centre would amount to roughly 2.2 million households.

NATS, the UK’s main air traffic controller, has examined the proposal for the data centre and confirmed that from a technical point of view it does not go against their safeguarding criteria. On the basis of those criteria, it had no objection to the plans.

Subject to approval, phased construction is aiming to run from next year through 2035.