Unanimous approval for first Cambois data centres
Northumberland Council has approved reserved matters for phase one of the 6m sq ft campus on the former Blyth Power Station site, clearing the way for construction of the first two buildings to begin.
Financed by Renaissance Land (owned by Blackstone), the data centres will be developed and operated by Quality Technology Services.
Designed by Corgan and with Quod as planning consultant, the data centres will be constructed using MMC, using a kit-of-parts approach.
Outline plans were submitted in August and now permission for access, layout, scale, appearance, and landscaping has been granted, subject to an S106 agreement to deliver biodiversity net gain, secured through a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan.
The brownfield site lies west and south of Cambois village and east of the A189 and was previously a coal stocking yard for the Blyth Power Station, which closed in 2001 and was demolished in 2003.
Speaking at the meeting, council leader Glen Sanderson said: “This is a hugely significant day in Northumberland and one which will create massive benefits and opportunities across the region and the country…
“This proud corner of Northumberland will be home to one of western Europe’s largest data hubs — a multi-billion-pound vote of confidence in our county’s future.”
Liberal Democrat cllr Jeff Reid, echoed the positive sentiment, saying: “Let’s be excited by this. It is going to put us on the map, front and centre in a technological revolution.”
Local ward cllr Alex Wallace referred to the prospect of jobs for the area, noting: “In 1968, the coal mine closed. Two thousand people left the area to find work. We are now saying we are going to provide that work for their grandchildren. I’m just over the moon.”
And summarising, deputy leader and cabinet member for supporting business and opportunities Richard Wearmouth, described the project as “simply colossal investment in Northumberland and the UK more generally.”
The two buildings will run north-south, with office frontages facing the main site entrance to create a defined arrival point.
Designs have focused on minimising visual and noise impacts by locating major plant on the internal faces of the site.
The data-centre buildings themselves will house central halls for computer racks, flanked by plant areas, cooling and electrical systems and each building will include equipment yards, office and support blocks, storage, network rooms, and loading bays.
Roof-mounted chillers, with noise-attenuation packs, will feed a closed-loop cooling system supplying air-cooling fan walls or liquid-cooling CDUs.
Each building will be served by 55 external diesel generators on a three-level gantry, capable of providing up to 48 hours’ emergency power, while a separate 2,600kW generator will support office and admin areas.
Six secure rooms in each building provide protected electrical distribution, allowing maintenance without interrupting operations.
Born in Blyth but lived in Manchester for last fifty years. Great to see some positive news for Blyth and the wider area
By The Blob