Europe’s largest data center has been approved for development in the UK, according to an announcement from DC01UK.
DC01UK’s planning application for the site has been accepted by Hertsmere Borough Council’s planning committee, a district in Hertfordshire north of London.
The site will be up to two million square feet and is set across 85 acres of ground, 54% of which will be retained as green space, the company revealed.
With an estimated construction value of £3.75 billion, the data center will bring various economic opportunities to the local area. This includes £21.4 million in year-round business rates when operational, as well as 500 jobs during construction and 200 permanent staff when finished.
It will also create 13,740 indirect jobs and plans include further local benefits like £2 million in upgrades for bus routes and improvements to other local infrastructure.
The project is predicted to generate £1.1 billion a year, though it will also draw substantial power. Plans include a power reservation of 400 megavolt-amperes (MVA) from the National Grid.
“With planning for this important piece of Critical National Infrastructure now approved, the site stands ready to power the needs of tomorrow bringing a much-welcomed boost to the UK’s digital economy,” a spokesperson for DC01UK said.
“Data centers like this will not only play a pivotal role in our AI Opportunities Action Plan but drive economic growth through the creation of skilled jobs across the South East,” Minister for Telecoms, Sir Chris Bryant MP, added.
Bryant referred here to a recent move by the UK’s Labour government, which will see a greater focus on UK tech and AI innovation as Prime Minister Kier Starmer looks to implement all 50 recommendations made by tech entrepreneur Matt Clifford last year.
A key part of this announcement was the creation of dedicated ‘AI growth zones’ designed to fast-track planning permission for infrastructure projects like DC01UK.
“DC01UK is a first of its kind. The largest data centre development in Europe in the world’s second largest market, which is perfectly positioned in its ability to service the ever-increasing cloud demand today whilst accommodating the AI needs of tomorrow,” Stephen Beard, Head of Data Centres at Knight Frank who is advising on the project, said.
“A first and great example of the UK’s shift towards becoming a dominant superpower in cloud, AI and general digital infrastructure,” he added.
