A new 950-acre data center campus is being proposed close to Virginia’s southern border.

First reported by the Danville Register & Bee, Anchorstone Advisors SOVA is planning a new campus in the Ringgold area of Pittsylvania County.

The project was unanimously recommended for approval by the Pittsylvania County Planning Commission this week to rezone land on US Highway 58/South Boston Highway to industrial. County staff had recommended approval. It is to go before the county board of supervisors in July.

The project is known as the Route 58 East Data Center Campus. Images taken by the Register suggest up to five buildings are being planned across 946 acres. The site will offer 200MW of capacity with “potential for significant expansion.”

The project could see $4-5 billion invested, according to Joey Faucette, chair of the Pittsylvania County Industrial Development Authority.

It's unclear who the intended end user of the campus is. Company representative Tom Gallagher told the Register some investors in Southside Investing's planned housing and commercial community in the Tunstall area, alongside several other “local investors," are involved in the project.

Pittsylvania County is located on Virginia’s southern border, south of Lynchburg and close to Danville.

The Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors last month changed the county code because it didn't include data centers. The board approved adding a section to allow the centers to operate under a special use permit.

Commission member Janet Mease said: “This is our casino. It’s our time to grow."

However, not all in the area are in favor.

“I plead with you, do not allow this to happen," local resident Ann Smith, whose property is adjacent to the proposed data center, told the planning board.

“We don’t need our property depreciated anymore by this," added neighbor Patty Owens. “Would y'all want to live near something like this, just honestly?”

Amazon, which is developing multiple campuses all across Virginia, has previously announced investment into a 45MW solar farm in Pittsylvania County.