Data Center Campus Proposed Near QTS Site in Northumberland, UK

Another data center project has been proposed in northeast England. TBC Partners has applied to Northumberland County Council to develop a data center campus on a 12-hectare site off Factory Road in Cambois, near the A189 and River Wansbeck. While few details have been released, TBC Partners suggests the proposed Blyth Data Centre could have a capacity of up to 300MW.

“Layout options for the site are being considered, comprising one or two main data center buildings,” filing documents state, with an on-site substation also planned. Construction would take approximately 24-months, with occupation and operation intended to occur from 2030 to 2035.

The full application has yet to be submitted, with TBC Partners currently seeking a screening opinion on whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is required. The proposed facility would use closed-loop, air-cooled systems to reduce water use, while the company is also exploring potential uses for its waste heat. The site was formerly part of GSK’s pharmaceutical plant, which operated from 1971 to 2004 before being demolished between 2009 and 2013. It is now used for aggregate and timber storage, as well as plant, machinery and haulage services.

The site is next to a planned data center campus from Wansbeck Regeneration Ltd., which has applied to build three buildings totaling 356,000 sqm (3.8 million sq ft). About 1.6km north, QTS is planning a 540,000 sqm (5.8 million sq ft) campus at the former Blyth Power Station, with potential for up to 720MW across 10 buildings. TBC Partners, a UK-based family office focused on energy and sustainability, is also planning a potential 300MW data center development in Didcot.