AI data centre campus approved for North Lincolnshire

Plans for a large artificial intelligence data centre campus near Elsham have received outline planning approval from North Lincolnshire Council, paving the way for major technology development in the region.

The proposed Elsham Tech Park could attract up to £10 billion in private investment over the lifetime of the project. The development is expected to be built in phases over roughly ten years and would cover around 176 hectares of land.

At full build-out, the campus is planned to include up to 15 hyperscale data centre buildings. Total floorspace could exceed 1.5 million square metres, with computing capacity reaching up to one gigawatt. This scale would place the project among the largest AI data centre developments proposed in the UK.

The facility is intended to support the growing demand for infrastructure for artificial intelligence, cloud services, and high-performance computing.

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: “The numbers attached to this project are eye-watering – almost hard to get your head around. But what really matters is what it means for residents in North Lincolnshire.

“This will bring thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of highly skilled, high-paid long-term roles, and the chance to build a new industry right here in North Lincolnshire.”

Developers estimate the campus could support between 900 and 1,200 permanent skilled roles once operational. The construction phase is also expected to generate thousands of jobs as the site is developed in stages.

Significant supply chain demand is anticipated during the build programme. The project is expected to require more than 100,000 tonnes of structural steel, creating potential opportunities for UK engineering, manufacturing, and construction suppliers.

Local businesses could also benefit from procurement across sectors such as infrastructure, cooling systems, electrical engineering, and specialist data centre technologies as development progresses.

The approval marks a major potential investment in digital infrastructure in North Lincolnshire, with the project aimed at supporting the UK’s expanding data and artificial intelligence capacity.