Mega UK datacenter greenlit, but we still don't know who's moving in
Approval was last night granted for a mega datacenter in Hertfordshire, close to London's M25 orbital motorway, clearing the way for construction to begin. The identity of the eventual occupier, said to be a hyperscale operator, has yet to be disclosed.
The planning application for the site, filed last year by a company called DC01 UK Ltd, was approved by the local authority, Hertsmere Borough Council. If all goes according to plan, facilities at the location are expected to become operational by 2030.
The biz claims that once built, the land will be home to Europe's largest cloud and AI datacenter, with up to two million square feet (about 186,000 m²) of floor space. This compares with 75,000 m² for the Covilhã facility in Portugal, and 50,000 m² for Microsoft's Dublin datacenter in Ireland.
DC01 UK isn't going to build or operate the facility. The company's role is to obtain the planning rights and ensure everything needed for construction is in place. The plot of land is close to the M25 and the A1 main road and adjacent to South Mimms motorway services.
