Plans for what is set to become the UK’s largest artificial intelligence data centre campus have received outline planning approval, marking a major milestone for digital infrastructure in the country.
The vast scheme near Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire will transform the former RAF Elsham Wolds airfield into a hyperscale technology campus capable of supporting the rapidly growing demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing services.
The development, known as Elsham Tech Park, would deliver more than 1.5 million square metres of data centre floorspace spread across 15 data halls. Once completed, the campus is expected to support up to 1,000MW of IT load, placing it among the most ambitious digital infrastructure projects ever proposed in the UK.
The project is being brought forward by Elsham Tech Park Ltd, a company established specifically to deliver the scheme and overseen by planning and infrastructure specialist Greystoke. The proposals cover a 176-hectare site and include a significant supporting energy infrastructure to power the facility.
At the heart of the masterplan is a new energy centre capable of generating up to 49.9MW on site, alongside substations, battery energy storage systems, district heating infrastructure and additional flexible commercial space.
A distinctive element of the project is the inclusion of energy-efficient greenhouse agriculture facilities. These would reuse excess heat generated by the data halls to support food production, creating a more circular approach to energy use and sustainability.
The scale of the development is expected to generate significant economic activity during construction. A 10-year build programme has been outlined, with estimates suggesting the project could support between 2,600 and 3,600 full-time equivalent construction jobs each year across the supply chain.
Construction is currently anticipated to begin in 2027, with the first phase of the campus targeted to open in 2029.
Buildings across the site would range between 7m and 23m in height. Extensive landscape bunds reaching up to 10m high, together with new woodland planting, are proposed to reduce visual impact and integrate the campus into the surrounding countryside.
The scheme will also feature a central spine road connecting all 15 development zones, each capable of being delivered independently. A new primary access route will link the campus to the nearby industrial estate.
If completed, Elsham Tech Park would place Lincolnshire at the forefront of the UK’s rapidly expanding artificial intelligence and cloud computing sector, creating a major new hub for digital infrastructure and technology investment.
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