A large data center is set for Teesside, UK, after receiving outline planning permission from the Redcar and Cleveland Council. The approval comes despite objections from BP, which claims the project will obstruct its plans for a nearby hydrogen plant.
The proposed 500,000-square-meter campus is a project by Teesworks Ltd, the public-private partnership transforming a 4,500-acre former steelworks site into Europe’s largest brownfield regeneration project. Tech giant Google is reportedly in talks to occupy the development, which is planned to include six two-story data halls. While this initial permit is a major milestone, a detailed "reserved matters" application is still required before construction begins.
BP’s competing interest for the site involves H2 Teesside, a blue hydrogen plant. This technology produces fuel from natural gas while capturing carbon emissions, classifying it as a low-carbon energy source.