In a recent development, Fylde Borough Council’s planning committee has approved the construction of an 80 MW data centre at Peel Park near Blackpool. The site, spanning approximately 20 acres within a larger 37-acre area, is strategically located next to existing office buildings leased to the Department for Work and Pensions.
The land designated for the data centre currently serves as underutilized space, primarily used for parking, scrubland, and trees. However, the site’s advantageous connectivity, including proximity to national fiber networks, transatlantic subsea cables, and national electricity infrastructure, played a crucial role in its selection by Elite UK REIT.
With planning permission in place, the data centre building can reach a height of up to 14 meters, with additional infrastructure such as a rooftop cooling structure rising to 20 meters, a substation compound, security office, parking facilities, and landscaping. The project has also secured up to 120 MVA of power capacity, enabling it to support energy-intensive data center operations in the future.
The approval of the data center project highlights the strategic vision of the management team, led by CEO Joshua Liaw. As demand for artificial intelligence and cloud-based technologies continues to rise, the proposed data center in Peel Park, Blackpool, is expected to play a significant role in supporting regional economic development and attracting inward investment. While Blackpool may not be a traditional data center hub like London or the South East, the council’s efforts to attract digital infrastructure companies, including initiatives like Silicon Sands at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone, reflect a growing interest in establishing the region as a tech-friendly destination.
