ADA: Docklands Campus (LCY1)

Ada Infrastructure is developing its Docklands campus on an 8.5-hectare (21-acre) riverside site on the south side of North Woolwich Road in West Silvertown. The site lies in the Royal Docks area of the London Borough of Newham, beside West Silvertown DLR station and about 1.5 km south-west of London City Airport. Bell Lane and the Thameside West regeneration scheme border it to the west. The River Thames and the safeguarded Peruvian Wharf lie to the south, and the Tate & Lyle golden syrup refinery lies to the east. The land is a designated Strategic Industrial Location (SIL3 Thameside West).

History and ownership. The site held the Allnex (formerly Nuplex) resins and paint factory, which was cleared under enabling permissions granted in 2018 and 2021. GLP UK Ltd won hybrid planning consent 23/01697/OUT from Newham Council in December 2024, after a committee resolution in June 2024. Ada Infrastructure was GLP's data center platform. It became part of Ares Management when Ares bought GLP Capital Partners' international business in March 2025. Reserved matters for the community Multi-Function Building followed in March 2025, and those for the second and third data center buildings followed in July 2025.

Power and infrastructure. A dual-fed 132/33 kV primary substation stands at the centre of the campus. UK Power Networks has committed 300 MVA to the site. The consented design brings two 132 kV underground supplies from UKPN's Islington bulk supply point. A third 132 kV, 100 MVA connection to UKPN's West Ham bulk supply point can serve as an interim supply. Each building has 34 standby generators that run on HVO. Cooling uses closed-loop water-cooled chillers and dry air coolers with no evaporative heat rejection, and the halls are ready for liquid cooling. The design targets an annualised PUE of 1.2, BREEAM Excellent and WELL Silver. It also includes an interface to export heat to a future district heating network.

Construction and community. McLaren Construction started enabling works in October 2024 and signed the shell-and-core contract for the first building in January 2026. Keltbray and Menard are piling, Gallagher has the groundworks and William Hare has the steel frame. Ada held the groundbreaking ceremony on 26 February 2026. The campus also has a two-storey community Multi-Function Building, a riverside pocket park, and public walking and cycling routes along Bell Lane to the Thames.