UK data centers are primed for expansion

A study by data center specialists Onnec revealed that local authorities in the UK’s 20 largest cities have largely approved data center projects, with 89% of applications receiving planning permission in the last five years. Of the 88 applications analyzed, only three were rejected, five were withdrawn, and one remained undecided.

Onnec looked at 44 local councils and their planning applications for the report. The researchers found that data centers are generally approved, which shows local support for digital infrastructure. To provide computing power and data storage for AI implementation, this support is crucial. Only three applications from Sheffield were rejected. Local authorities have looked at potential issues with the design and impact of the centres, and whether they fit the character of the surroundings or would damage the Green Belt.

Data center sprawl

In particular, the British government made data centers the national critical infrastructure to underline its ratio. That said, the report calls for a holistic approach to planning and a country-wide approach to achieve the best results. The UK has pledged £6.3 billion in data center investment as part of its drive to make the UK a hub for AI. The UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is trying to reduce friction in building data centres. Analyzed rejected projects to see where there is room for improvement.

“Data centers are critical to driving the growth of AI, and with the race for AI supremacy in full swing, the UK has recognized that to get ahead, the right infrastructure needs to be in place,” Matt Salter, Data Center Director at Onnec “Data centers can become the new oil for regions and cities, but only if they are planned holistically – that means considering every aspect of the data center instead of just focusing on factors like power and cooling. For example, thinking about the importance of cabling in providing the bandwidth needed to get the most out of your data center hardware.

London is the largest data center market in Europe, but the report suggests trying to increase the availability of data centers elsewhere in the country. Relying solely on London means there is limited energy availability, along with sustainability issues. Spreading data centers to other regions would also mean spreading the benefits to the people there. This means improved employment opportunities not only for data centers, but for wherever the digital skills required for data centers are useful.

“Failure to take a holistic approach will result in sites that are not fit for purpose, do not meet the needs of the UK and degrade over time – poor planning could mean a new data center can feel five years old years after the first year. of operation and need expensive modernisation,” said Salter. “The UK risks losing ground in the race for AI supremacy if data centers are not built to last.”