Former Britishvolt site purchase completed paving way for AI data centre in Cambois

The purchase of the former Britishvolt site in Northumberland by a US investment firm has been completed, paving the way for an AI data centre to be built.

Blackstone and its data subsidiary company QTS will use the land in Cambois near Blyth to build a data storage centre.

The council says more than 1,600 direct jobs will be created, including 1,200 long-term construction jobs, as well as more than 2,700 indirect jobs.

The purchase was confirmed by Councillor Glenn Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, which also has a buy-back arrangement in the event that the project does not go ahead.

Speaking at the county council's annual general meeting on Wednesday (1 May), Councillor Sanderson said: “As we move into this next year, we can look forward to some very exciting developments. I can announce that this morning at around 1am Blackstone bought the land at NEP 3 and agreed to a new buy back clause.

“This is tremendous news and I’m very proud to be able to say that. This will be the largest investment to come to Northumberland, ever.”

The site was set to be home to a gigafactory manufacturing batteries for electric cars, but a deal by startup firm Britishvolt to take over the land collapsed.

The council says up to £10 billion will be invested into the area while £110 million will be returned to the council’s coffers to fund business investments across the county.

This funding was agreed as part of the terms that saw the council drop the previous buy-back agreement it had on the land for the gigafactory project.

A spokesman said: “As per the recommendation agreed by cabinet on 23rd April, now the land transaction is complete, a new buyback arrangement has been put in place in the unlikely event the planned development did not proceed.”

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