Blackstone: £10bn Data Centre to Rise on Former Britishvolt Site
Deal News | Mar 05, 2025 | Business Cloud
Investment firm Blackstone has received approval for a significant £10bn AI and cloud computing data centre on the former Britishvolt factory site in Cambois, Northumberland. The development, expected to consist of 10 buildings spread over 540,000 sq m, aims to create a tech hub in the region, providing more than 1,600 jobs directly and around 2,700 in total across the area. Blackstone acquired the site from Northumberland County Council for £110m. Industry experts, such as Scott Constable from Vespertec, view this move as a catalyst for a Northern data centre boom, projecting substantial benefits for businesses and educational institutions in harnessing AI and cloud efficiencies. This development signifies growing recognition by local authorities of the region's potential in the tech industry.
Sectors
- Data Centres
- AI and Cloud Computing
- Real Estate Development
Geography
- United Kingdom – The data centre project is taking place in Northumberland, UK, highlighting regional development and investment within the country.
- Northumberland – Specific focus on Northumberland as the geographic location of the new data centre, marking it as a region of growing technological investment.
Industry
- Data Centres – The article discusses the development of a massive data centre in Northumberland, indicating the growth and significance of the data centre industry in the region.
- AI and Cloud Computing – The data centre is expected to be a hub for AI and cloud computing, showcasing the importance of these technologies in regional economic development and employment.
- Real Estate Development – The construction of the data centre involves significant real estate development on the former Britishvolt factory site.
Financials
- £10bn – Estimated cost for the development of the AI and cloud computing data centre.
- £110m – Amount reportedly paid by Blackstone to Northumberland County Council for the former Britishvolt factory site.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackstone | Investment Firm / Developer | Company | Blackstone is the investment giant responsible for developing the £10bn data centre on the former Britishvolt site. |
| Northumberland County Council | Site Seller / Local Authority | Government | Northumberland County Council approved the data centre project and sold the former Britishvolt factory site to Blackstone. |
| Britishvolt | Former Site Owner | Company | Britishvolt previously owned the factory site where the new data centre will be developed, before their collapse in 2023. |
| Vespertec | Industry Specialist | Company | Vespertec, a data centre specialist, provides insights on the Northern data centre industry's outlook. |
| Scott Constable | Partnerships Director at Vespertec | Person | Provides expert commentary on the data centre industry's potential growth in the North. |