Outline planning permission has been approved for a £7.5 billion AI data centre campus in Lincolnshire, in what could become one of the UK’s largest digital infrastructure developments.
The proposed Elsham Tech Park scheme will deliver more than 1.5 million square metres of hyperscale data centre floorspace across 15 data halls, supporting up to 1,000MW of IT capacity to meet growing demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
For the construction sector, projects of this scale represent a significant long-term pipeline of work. The development is expected to support between 2,600 and 3,600 full-time equivalent construction jobs each year during a proposed ten-year build programme.
Commenting on the development, Viki Bell said:
“This is the type of major infrastructure project that will drive long-term construction activity and highlights the important role our sector plays in supporting the UK’s digital and energy infrastructure.
“Projects on this scale require significant expertise across construction, engineering and equipment supply chains. They also demonstrate how investment in digital infrastructure is creating new opportunities for the construction equipment sector.”
The project is planned on a 176-hectare site at the former RAF Elsham Wolds airfield and is being promoted by Elsham Tech Park Ltd, a special-purpose company overseen by infrastructure developer Greystoke.
Alongside the data halls, the proposal includes an energy centre capable of generating up to 49.9MW on site, battery storage facilities, substations, district heating infrastructure and flexible commercial space.
The masterplan also includes space for greenhouse agriculture, which would use waste heat generated by the servers to support food production.
Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first phase of the campus scheduled to open in 2029.
Further details can be found in the original report published by Construction Briefing here:
https://www.constructionbriefing.com/news/plans-unveiled-for-75bn-uk-ai-data-centre-hub/8116321.article
