Early-stage proposals for a third data centre in South East Northumberland have been submitted to Northumberland County Council. The plans would see the facility built on land at Factory Road in Cambois.
Site and surrounding developments
The proposed site borders another site earmarked for a data centre, with Wansbeck Regeneration Ltd seeking permission for a £3.84 billion scheme on the former GlaxoSmithKline site at West Sleekburn. That site is less than two miles from where US firm QTS, part of the Blackstone investment group, is already in the process of constructing a vast data centre "campus" at Cambois.
Applicant TBC Partners is planning to build on the site of HFF Aggregates and Civil Engineering. Prior to its current industrial use, which provides storage for recycled and secondary aggregates and timber supplies, large plant and machinery storage, and hire and haulage services, the site was a pharmaceutical plant.
Proposed design and timeline
A screening report submitted by the applicant states that layout options are still under consideration, and could see either one or two main data centre buildings covering between 2.5 and 3.7 hectares at a height of 30 metres. Construction of the data centre is expected to take approximately 24 months with occupation and operation intended to occur from 2030 to 2035.
The report adds: "The North East is rapidly emerging as one of the UK’s most significant locations for data centre and AI infrastructure investment. A key component of the growth agenda is the development of large-scale data centre campuses at strategic locations including Cambois, Blyth, and Cobalt Park.
"These investments are supported by world-class fibre connectivity, access to low-carbon power from the North East’s offshore wind sector, and proximity to leading universities that are producing talent in data science, engineering, and digital technologies."
Environmental considerations and next steps
The region’s recently designated AI Growth Zone further strengthens its ambition to become a nationally significant centre for digital infrastructure. As demand for cloud computing, AI, and data storage continues to increase, the North East is well placed to become a major digital gateway for the UK and Europe, supporting long-term economic resilience, innovation, and net-zero ambitions.
Globally, there is considerable concern about data centres, particularly with regards to their water use for cooling. To manage this, the Factory Road site would, subject to design, use a "closed-loop" air cooled conditioning plant to "reduce overall water consumption".
At this point, the application is only at the "scoping opinion" stage. This is a formal question put to the council about proposed developments as to whether an Environmental Impact Assessment is made. Further details, such as the number of jobs and the amount of computing power provided, will be made public as and when the application progresses.
