• Swindon & Wiltshire Innovation
• Thursday April 23 2026

MP visits Wiltshire’s new carbon-removal facility

A Wiltshire MP has visited Pure Data Centres’ pioneering biochar facility in Royal Wootton Bassett, following the company’s announcement of a £24 million investment in what is set to become the UK’s largest biochar plant.

Operated by Pure Data Centres’ subsidiary A Healthier Earth, the facility is expected to be the largest of its kind in the UK.

Once fully up and running, it will produce around 11,500 tonnes of biochar each year, removing up to 18,500 tonnes of carbon annually from the atmosphere. That is roughly equivalent to the yearly emissions of almost 6,000 UK homes.

Biochar is a carbon-rich material made by heating organic waste such as wood, crop residues and manure at very high temperatures in a low-oxygen environment.

The process locks carbon into a stable form, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere. When added to soil, biochar can also improve fertility, help retain nutrients and water, and support healthier plant growth.

This means it has the potential to play a valuable dual role: helping to tackle climate change while also improving agricultural productivity.

Meeting with chief R&D Officer at A Healthier Earth, Alastair Collier, and CEO of Pure DC, Dame Dawn Childs, Sarah Gibson MP was given a tour of the new facility, which only recently became fully operational, learning what Biochar is and why it could shape the future.

Sarah, a member of the House of Commons’ Environmental audit committee, said she welcomes the addition of Pure Data Centres to her constituency.

Sarah said: “I am excited to see this joined up thinking in our area. Wiltshire residents garden waste becoming part of the carbon removal process rather than going into landfill is a huge step.”

“Pure Data Centre’s BioChar Centre in Royal Wootton Bassett is not only at the forefront of green innovation in the UK, working towards a net-zero future, but is also a valuable investment in the local economy in Royal Wootton Bassett.

“BioChar is a fascinating substance of natural origins, which both fights climate change and acts as a natural fertiliser.

“During my tour of Pure Data Centres, I was able to see how BioChar is made firsthand. It was a great insight into the future of green innovation here in the UK and I am thrilled to have such a groundbreaking facility within the constituency.”

Dame Dawn said: “Pure DC’s BioChar facility is delivering practical, scalable solutions that support the UK’s net zero and circular economy ambitions, while also meeting the requirements of our hyperscale customers.

“Through PureBiochar we are helping to establish biochar as a credible carbon removal technology.”

“Our Royal Wootton Bassett facility creates skilled green jobs, utilises wood waste from Wiltshire County Council and integrates carbon removal technologies within an existing industrial site – and shows how infrastructure can dovetail with the communities around our sites.”