Government looks to the North for AI growth zones
The North East, the North West, and Scotland have been highlighted as areas likely to secure support for housing the hubs, with briefings noting the emerging technologies could regenerate former industrial sites.
Local and regional authorities have been urged to nominate areas that meet the following criteria:
- Sites with large existing power connections (500+ MW) or the ability to reach that capacity
- Deindustrialised areas with land and infrastructure available
- Locations near major energy infrastructure such as nuclear reactors, solar stations, wind farms, or battery storage
AI infrastructure development includes data centres, and the growth zones will have their planning permissions expedited.
Data centre developers and energy firms have been asked to submit proposals detailing timelines and opportunities to work alongside local authorities.
The North East is already in good stead for the zones. Durham University recently secured permission to build a 46,000 sq ft data centre on Plot D of the city’s innovation district and QTS, owned by Blackstone, is assessing a Northumberland site that could house up to 5.8m sq ft of data centre buildings.
Meanwhile in the North West, Digital Land & Development, working with landowner Peel Waters, has secured consent for a 66,300 sq ft data centre at the former White’s reclamation site off Liverpool Road.
Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “Teesside, Darlington, and Hartlepool have always been at the forefront of cutting-edge technology – from the friction match to the railways and the chemical industry.
“My job above everything is to bring good, well-paid, long-term jobs to local people. We have everything we need to host an AI growth zone in our region.
“We have the land, we have the power and we have shown in our efforts at Teesworks how we can get huge projects moving forward at pace.”
In the North West, Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “Last year we held our first ever AI summit and heard from leading figures in the technology sector, we were the first area in the UK to pilot AI in schools and now, the world’s largest IT infrastructure firm Kyndryl has announced they’re going to bring 1,000 AI jobs to Liverpool.”
The first AI growth zone will be in Culham, Oxfordshire, home to the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority.
