'Hyper-scale' data centre will bring jobs and investment to Didcot, claims government

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The new computer infrastructure will help with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, according to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. Credit: ITV News / library picture

Plans to build a large new data centre in Didcot, Oxfordshire, will create 100 permanent jobs and bring investment to the area, according to the government.

The proposed £1.9 billion facility from US technology firm CloudHQ won the backing of UK ministers at an International Investment Summit in London.

Science Secretary Peter Kyle described the deal by build the ‘state-of-the-art’ data campus as a ‘vote of confidence’ in Britain.

"Data centres power our day-to-day lives and boost innovation in growing sectors like artificial intelligence (AI).

"This is why only last month, I took steps to class UK data centres as Critical National Infrastructure giving the industry the ultimate reassurance that the UK will always be a safe home for their investment,” Mr Kyle added.

  • Peter Kyle MP, the Science and Technology Secretary, speaking at the International Investment Summit in the City of London

Described as a ‘hyper-scale data centre’, it is expected to create 1,500 jobs during construction, and 100 permanent jobs once fully operational.

CloudHQ’s Chief Executive, Hossein Fateh, said: “We are very excited to deliver a hyper-scale campus in the UK that is truly an extension of Slough due to our private diverse fibre optic route.”

The American company has secured planning permission to build the data centre campus in Didcot.

The Oxfordshire scheme was one of four planned new data centres welcomed by ministers.

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