Council chiefs believe AI data centres could help ensure the future of an historic colliery site.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is proposing to bring buildings at Chatterley Whitfield back into use as data centres as part of the site's regeneration.

The authority says this would secure much-needed investment for Chatterley Whitfield while also helping to meet the growing national demand for digital infrastructure.

Chatterley Whitfield includes a number of Grade II and Grade II* listed buildings, but the site is in a very poor state of repair, and has been on Historic England's heritage at risk register for years.

According to a council report, the growth of data centres in the South East of England has stalled due to a lack of space and power, which is driving interest in re-purposing former industrial sites like Chatterley Whitfield.

The report says the former colliery's mine system could also provide cooling and heat storage.

Council officials are looking at using mine water heat as a renewable energy source for Stoke-on-Trent's district heat network. Other proposals for the site include a new museum celebrating Chatterley Whitfield's history and a training facility.

The report states: "The accelerating demand for digital infrastructure…is driving interest in the adaptive re-use of heritage and industrial buildings, this giving the city a 'time is now' moment to realise the potential of Chatterley Whitfield.

"Re-purposing these structures not only gives a potential route to their preservation as nationally culturally significant structures but also provides for Chatterley Whitfield a real opportunity to introduce advanced technological functions into the community whist set in a well-loved setting.

"This approach supports sustainable development through re-use, giving sovereign based digital capacity and aligning the heat output for use into the wider community, thus reducing fuel poverty levels and supporting energy security."

Cabinet members will be asked to back the proposals for Chatterley Whitfield when they meet on Tuesday, with £185,000 set to be spent on the next phase of work.

Activities due to be carried out in 2026/27 includes liaising with data centre operators, exploring the potential for mine water heat extraction and ground conditions assessment.

The council says that several buildings at Chatterley Whitfield, including buildings 9, 15, 16 and 23, have the potential to be turned into small to medium scale data centres.

There is also a 7.2 hectare site to the north-east where a large scale data centre could be built, along with a solar farm. According to the report, a number of options are 'market ready'.

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker, cabinet member for transport, infrastructure, planning and regeneration, said: "Chatterley Whitfield is one of the most important industrial heritage sites in the country.

"As the most complete surviving deep coal mining site in England, it deserves a future that matches its significance.

"By bringing heritage together with new commercial uses, we have an opportunity to change the narrative around the site – turning it from a potential risk and liability into a genuine asset for the city.

"This vision gives us a way forward that can protect what makes Chatterley Whitfield so important while creating new opportunities for investment and bringing the site back into active use."

Nigel Bowers, chair of the Chatterley Whitfield Friends, said: "Exciting times ahead. The Friends are glad to see movement and it is nice to see that, working with our local councillor, the voice of Whitfield is being heard. It's our hope that the planned development will benefit the historic buildings on site and secure its future."

Chatterley Whitfield is part of the wider BL9 site in the city council's draft local plan, which is set to be allocated 1,750 homes.

The cabinet report suggests that a BL9 access route should be a priority for the Chatterley Whitfield development plan.

Ward councillor Dave Evans has raised concerns over cabinet members being asked to delegate authority to officers in relation to the proposals.

In a Facebook post, he says: "Once the control is delegated from councillors to officers it doesn't come back. We know the city council is going to produce a master plan for Chatterley Whitfield, which we have also been told will go out for consultation, however by passing this report as it is, the response to the consultation won't be by councillors, it will instead be by unelected and unaccountable officers.

"I believe decisions that the public, and our heritage should be made by those accountable for them."

Cabinet members are also set to approve the formal transfer of various mining-related objects to the Chatterley Whitfield Friends. The artefacts are already held by the voluntary group on an informal basis.