The largest AI data centre campus in the UK has been granted planning permission

Elsham Tech Park, on of the largest data centres in the country, will be built next to the Elsham Wolds Industrial Estate

Set to be the largest AI data centre campus in the country, the plans cover up to 435 acres of agricultural field.

According to North Lincolnshire Council, upon completion, the facility could bring in up to £10bn of investment into the area.

The campus will have its own energy generation

With 15 individual data centre buildings, the demand for energy will be great, and so the plans include the capacity to generate 49.9MW of its own electricity per year to produce up to 1GW of computing capacity.

The construction window for the project spans 10 years, and could support between 2,600 and 3,600 full time construction jobs, including on- and off-site. Construction is set to begin next year, with the 1st phase opening in 2029.

Also a part of the plans are highways and transport link improvements, and investments into local supply chains. Over 100,000 tonnes of steel will be required to finish the project, and so local businesses will be utilised to achieve this.

Supply chain issues at the forefront of data centres

In November last year, Turner & Townsend released their 2025-2026 Data Centre Construction Cost Index, which highlighted the incoming rush to build data centres across the UK, and the risk in a supply chain that is unprepared to take the rush.

The report finds that the cost inflation for traditional data centres worldwide averaged 5.5% in 2025.

In their survey, 83% of respondents believed that local supply chains are not prepared to support this increase, particularly with regard to the advanced cooling techniques that will be required to run these high-density centres, and 48% said that power availability is the biggest threat to delivering projects on schedule.

Paul Barry, data centres sector lead, North America at Turner & Townsend, said: “Data centres are increasingly at the forefront of many governments’ long-term policy ambitions and their significance is better understood and recognised – providing greater opportunities for clients in the sector. Yet our report highlights key challenges that must be addressed to avoid putting a brake on investment and the benefits of AI transformation.

“Power availability remains a critical barrier, with long-lead times for grid connection the main constraint. There is also stronger competition than ever before for power due to both increased business and consumer demand placing added pressure on grids.

“Developers and operators must adapt quickly to the evolving market landscape. AI data centres are more advanced, larger and, by extension, costlier. They come with greater power demands and modern cooling solutions. Clients need to navigate the power conundrum with greater openness to off-grid design solutions, while also securing reliable supply chains capable of providing the technology and talent needed for this new wave of data centres.”

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Largest UK AI data centre campus granted planning permission
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