UK data centre specialist Kao Data has secured an industrial-scale site for redevelopment at Kenwood Point, Manchester, with the aim of establishing a new 40MW data centre.
The development represents an investment of £350 mln (€400 mln), with the facility set to follow Kao Data’s design, energy efficiency and sustainability ethos, and include heat re-use capabilities.
Following the acquisition of two new data centres last year, the move represents the next phase in the continued expansion of the Kao Data platform, with Manchester named as the first of its new Tier II locations in Europe.
'Our move into Manchester marks an important next step in the continued evolution of our organisation, and we’re excited to bring our industry-leading data centre platform to one of the UK’s most influential technology and business hubs,' said Spencer Lamb, chief commercial officer, Kao Data.
'We believe our new facility will set a new standard for sustainable data centres within the region and will provide a piece of foundational infrastructure that supports both Northern England’s advanced computing clusters, and the UK governments’ ambitions to become a technological and economic powerhouse for HPC and AI.'
The 39,000 m2 ex-industrial site is expected to provide space for nine data halls, with plans to launch operations in late 2025.
The facility will be powered by 100% renewable energy, and utilise hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in its generators – providing the highest-grade, sustainable data centre capacity in the region.
Furthermore, the data centre will incorporate heat re-use capabilities, supporting local communities in its immediate vicinity with a valuable resource in the wake of the cost-of-living crisis.
Manchester has been hailed as one of the UK’s fastest growing technology hubs and the city’s technology ecosystem is projected to add £74.8 bn GVA (gross value added) to the UK economy.
