Multibillion investment to see hyperscale data centre built in Blyth

The deal with US investment company Blackstone, facilitated by the Office for Investment, will create the biggest AI data centre in Europe. 

Over 4,000 jobs will be created as a result, including 1,200 roles dedicated to the construction of the site in Blyth, Northumberland. Construction on the site is expected to begin next year.  

In a statement, Jon Gray, president and COO of Blackstone, said the UK is a top investment market for Blackstone because of its combination of talent and innovation along with a highly transparent legal system.  

“We are making significant commitments to building social housing, facilitating the energy transition, growing life sciences companies and developing critical infrastructure needed to fuel the digital economy,” he said. “This includes a projected £10bn investment to build one of Europe’s largest hyperscale data centres.”

As part of the deal, Blackstone confirmed it will invest £110m into a fund to support further skills training and transport infrastructure in the area.