Exclusive: One of the largest datacenter campuses in Europe is set for development in the UK, near the M25 motorway in Hertfordshire, pending permission. The facility’s ownership will transfer to an undisclosed hyperscale customer. DC01 UK Ltd, the company behind the project, has submitted detailed plans that include up to two million square feet of floor space at an estimated cost of $4.8 billion.
DC01 UK claims to have secured a power reservation of 400MVA from the National Grid, though connection isn’t expected until 2029. The new datacenter will be strategically positioned close to London, the major hub for datacenters in Europe.
The project is expected to provide 500 jobs during construction and at least 200 permanent local positions once operational. Speaking to The Register, a spokesperson emphasized the facility’s potential to recycle waste heat and develop improved local infrastructure such as cycling and bus routes.
Despite the well-laid plans, the actual construction will be carried out by the eventual user of the site, who remains unnamed but is described as a ‘known hyperscaler’. Local political leaders, including Jeremy Newmark of Hertsmere Borough Council, express strong support for the initiative.
However, datacenter projects are not always straightforward. Previous attempts for similar developments near the M25 have faced rejections due to concerns over altering the local environment. With the current Labour government promoting easier planning procedures and datacenters now classified as Critical National Infrastructure, the odds seem favorable for this project.
The identity of the prospective owner remains a topic of speculation, with major industry players like AWS, Microsoft, and Google keeping tight-lipped. Omdia’s principal analyst suggests that Microsoft might be the likely tenant, aiming to expand its infrastructure to rival AWS and Google.
The project’s timeline extends to 2029, leaving room for many developments in the interim. For now, the initiative stands as a testament to the growing demand for innovative data storage solutions.