Basildon Council has granted permission for a new £1.3 billion datacentre in Wickford in Essex.
To be built by developer Caineal, the project is expected to create more than 600 construction-related jobs and 120 highly skilled operational roles. Meanwhile, Basildon Council said it could potentially support five indirect jobs for every direct position, through supply chains and service providers.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for our borough," said councillor Jessica Power, cabinet member for jobs and skills.
"It places Basildon at the heart of the UK's AI revolution and will act as a magnet for high-value, technology-led businesses, driving skills development and creating long-term employment opportunities."
Construction is expected to start on the 1.8-hectare site next to the A127 and Old Nevendon Road as soon as the final planning formalities are completed.
"This is a chance for the area to become a powerhouse in the AI data economy," said Caineal spokesperson John Bourne. "We're proud to be investing in Basildon and helping to position it as a centre of technological excellence."
There's little detail about the new facility, but planning documents show that it's set to include a substation and energy centre, along with the creation of public open space.
The original plans for the development have been scaled back from the initial application in December 2023, following local concerns about its impact on the green belt. However, the new plans include a commitment to on-site Biodiversity Net Gain and the creation of a new local nature reserve to the east of the site.
Caineal has also promised financial contributions toward education, employment, skills development and sustainable transport to sweeten the deal.
Essex data centers
Basildon Council said it was keen to see investment in digital infrastructure and AI across South Essex. And the county is already home to several data centres, including Fujitsu London East in Grays and ChunkyChips Data Centre in Basildon.
Google is also planning a facility on a 52-hectare site in Thurrock, including up to four datacentres. Nscale, meanwhile, is building a data centre in Loughton – claimed to be the UK's largest sovereign AI datacentre – that's expected to house the UK's largest supercomputer, recently announced by Microsoft.
The government is keen to encourage the building of more data centres, as part of its efforts to position the UK as an AI hotspot. At the beginning of this year, it announced the creation of dedicated AI Growth Zones to speed up planning for AI infrastructure.
These areas will be given faster planning approvals for the rapid build-out of data centres, along with better access to the energy grid.
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