The DC01UK data center in Hertfordshire is set to be one of the largest in Europe, with a construction value of £3.75 billion. It aims to support the growing demand for cloud and AI services, create thousands of jobs and contribute significantly to the local Herfordshire economy.
Hertfordshire also houses Google’s newly opened Waltham Cross data center. This comes as the tech giant also announces more investments in the UK – investments well over the billion mark.
Reported January 24, 2025 – The £3.75bn data center is located in Herfordshire’s M25 Green belt site. It is being developed by DC01UK. Approval by Hertsmere Borough’s Council’s planning committee was awarded in January 2025. This was after DC01UK submitted the data center’s planning application in September 2024.
The project awaits further planning approvals ahead of scheduled 2027 construction start date. The DC01UK data center in Hertfordshire, set to be one of the largest in Europe, eyes operational status by 2030.
Project factsheet
Location: South Mimms
Developer: DC01UK
Architectural designer: TTSP
Cost: £3.75bn
Floor Area: 2 million sq feet
Site area: 3.7 million sq feet
Planning Application: September 2024
Planning Approval: January 2025
Start of construction date: 2027
Expected completion date: 2030
What the data center offers to Hertsmere
DC01UK’s data center will bring with it both direct and indirect opportunities and advantages to the locals and the region.
The project in the “natural base for cutting edge technology and critical infrastructure”, as put by Jeremy Newmark – leader of council – will bring enormous economic growth boost to the area.
This cannot be understated as 500 construction and 200 technical jobs will be created once construction starts. Also as a beneficiary will be the 398 bus services through South Mimms to Potters Bar from Borehamwood.
Another part set to see growth will be the business rate revenue per annum that is set to see values over £20m. Other than funding the borough, the revenue will also flow up to the county and national levels. Also in sight is the +£1.1bn per annum in Gross Value Added (GVA) by DC01UK.
And of course, some big tech names to Hertsmere. (Project name: Europe’s largest data center!)
Also Read Data center construction boom
Controversy on the new DC01UK data center in Hertfordshire
The £3.75bn state-of-the-art data center lying in the M25 Green belt line has much in store according to DC01UK. This sentiment has also been shared by the planning committee after it approved of the data center’s planning application.
This was not however shared unanimously by the locals as the “nays” cast was close to double that of the “ayes”. The numbers stood at around 500 for, and just over 900 against.
Concerns raised against the project include the Green belt site dilemma. The Green belt site in South Mimms currently serves agrarian purpose and a technological data center does not entirely and ideally fit the “green” bill. Some proposals even included the change of name to “gray belt”.
Upon the approval for the DC01UK data center, it was summed up that more good than harm will come from the project, and thus the greenlight.
More good than harm.
Also read: India-based Reliance Group plans for the construction of the world’s biggest data center
Also read: Project Sail: A $17bn cluster of data centers proposed in Coweta
I BEG TO DIFFER
IT WILL DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD WHEN THE LAST BIT OF GREEN BELT IS GONE, IT WILL BE A GREEN LIGHT TO DESTROY ANY GREENBELT FOR DEVELOPMENT.
WE ARE DESTROYING OUR COUNTRYSIDE FOR GREED.