Preparatory works for the Cambois data centre campus will begin on the brownfield site of the former Blyth Power Station
The £10bn Northumberland data centre will be owned by QTS, a subsidiary of Blackstone.
Outline consent was given in May for 10 data centre buildings over 540,000 square metres, as well as ancillary structures, generators, and substations.
More than 1,000 jobs
Featuring a closed-loop water system, the project is expected to create 1,200 long-term construction jobs, as well as 2,700 indirect jobs.
The Cambois data centre is a result of several investments, including £110m to Northumberland County Council.
The enabling works have been consulted on with Arcadis and will be performed in separate stages through to Autumn 2026, including setting up compounds, clearing vegetation, perimeter fencing, and earthworks for the main buildings.
Further consultation will take place with the architectural firm Corgan, and Cundall will provide civil, structural, and MEP advice.
Returns on investment in Northumberland is expected to be boosted along the Northumberland Line corridor.
Co-CEO of QTS, Tag Greason, said: “The enabling works approval is a major milestone and the first visible step in delivering on our shared vision with the council.
“We remain committed to hiring locally, supporting training and economic growth, and being responsible, engaged members of the community.”
Making the UK an AI superpower
In January, Prime Minister Kier Starmer announced government intentions to invest heavily in AI with the laying out of the new Artificial Intelligence Plan.
The intentions of the plan are:
1. The establishment of AI growth zones: These zones are intended to hasten the approval rate of planning proposals, as well as establish AI infrastructure such as data centres. The first established AI growth zone will be Culham, Oxfordshire
2. The building of a new supercomputer: A new UK supercomputer is, as the PM assured, set to be built and increase computing power twentyfold. This computer is intended to be built by 2030, and comes after the current government abandoned a similar plan for a supercomputer in Edinburgh that was established by the Conservative Government.
3. AI is intended to be employed in public sector jobs: This move will boost employee productivity and efficiency, handling more of the admin work and allowing the human worker to deliver services, including in governmental departments.
Dave Seed, managing director at Qube Residential, said: “AI is revolutionising the property management landscape, integrating into processes such as screening tenants and property maintenance. Its adoption offers unmatched opportunities to save time and boost productivity. Managing a portfolio of properties is highly demanding, often leaving little room for adopting new ways of working.
“However, embracing AI presents an exciting chance to streamline operations, while I expect this advancement will also support international investors in navigating the UK housing market more effectively and efficiently. With 1,000 new jobs announced in the Liverpool City Region, I am eager to see how the region’s property sector will use AI to help drive economic prosperity.”
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