A substantial data centre facility is currently under construction in Hertfordshire, exemplifying the growing trend of data infrastructure development across the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom is poised to witness a significant expansion in its data centre infrastructure, with estimates suggesting a growth of nearly 20% in the number of facilities. Currently, there are approximately 477 data centres operating in the country, supporting a wide range of digital services.”
According to an analysis of planning documents by construction researchers Barbour ABI, the number of data centres in the United Kingdom is expected to increase by nearly 100, driven by the growing demand for processing power fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI).
“A significant proportion of the new data centres, over half, are expected to be located in London and surrounding counties. Notably, many of these facilities are being privately funded by prominent United State tech companies, including Google and Microsoft, as well as major investment firms.”
According to recent data, the United Kingdom is set to witness a significant expansion in its data centre infrastructure, with nine new facilities planned for Wales, one in Scotland, five in Greater Manchester, and several others across the country. While most of these data centres are expected to be completed by 2030, a notable exception is the £10 billion AI data centre project in Blyth, near Newcastle, led by the Blackstone Group. This massive project, one of the largest in Europe, will create over 4,000 jobs and is expected to begin construction next year.
The proposed £10 billion AI data centre in Blyth will involve the construction of 10 large buildings, spanning approximately 540,000 square metres, on the site of the former Blyth Power Station. The development is slated to commence in 2031 and is expected to take over three years to complete.
Microsoft and Google are making significant investments in the United Kingdom’s data centre infrastructure. Microsoft plans to develop four new data centres across the United Kingdom, with a total investment of £330 million. The projects, expected to be completed between 2027 and 2029, will be located in the Leeds area, near Newport in Wales, and in Acton, north-west London. Meanwhile, Google is investing £740 million in a new data centre in Hertfordshire, which will utilize an air-based cooling system.
