Slough is Europe’s first 1GW data centre zone
The data centre cluster in Slough is now the de facto ‘AI Growth Zone’ for the UK and Europe’s first 1GW grouping, according to a new report.
Data centre developer Kao Data’s new report examines how Slough has evolved into Europe’s largest data centre cluster, with more than 675 megawatts of hyperscale capacity. The data centres contribute more than 14,000 jobs and over £30 million in annual business rates to the local economy, the report finds.
‘The Quiet Revolution: How Data Centres Remade Slough and Secured the UK’s Digital Future’ comes 12 months after the British government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which proposed the creation of AI Growth Zones to accelerate infrastructure deployments in support of the country’s AI and economic ambitions.
The new study demonstrates that such a zone already exists in Slough, operating at around 1GW of capacity and providing a blueprint for regional economic growth.
The report reveals that data centres replaced declining manufacturing employment in the Slough area on a near one-to-one basis. They created approximately 8,000 construction jobs between 2010 and 2025 alongside hundreds of permanently skilled operational roles. These include jobs in mechanical, electrical and network engineering, construction, building, facilities management, and legal and architectural positions, as well on-site security and resiliency planning.
Slough hosts more than 30 operational data centres. “Slough shows, in very real terms, what happens when infrastructure is developed with planning certainty, energy availability and a skilled workforce, and our new report demonstrates that data centres have delivered long-term job creation, significant tax revenues and a resilient foundation for the UK’s AI and digital economies,” said Spencer Lamb, managing director and chief commercial officer at Kao Data.
“We firmly believe that data centres are a force for good in this country – providing well-paid, varied and ‘future proof’ employment, economic regeneration to post-industrial areas, and through operator-led energy procurement … helping transition the UK to a green economy.”
With Slough and west London’s grid constraints well-documented, the economic case for developing additional regional hubs in the UK has never been more urgent, Kao Data said.
Now that data centres are designated as Critical National Infrastructure, the report concludes that the UK must create additional clusters across the country to propel regional economic growth and provide security diversity.
Data centre developer Kao Data’s new report examines how Slough has evolved into Europe’s largest data centre cluster, with more than 675 megawatts of hyperscale capacity. The data centres contribute more than 14,000 jobs and over £30 million in annual business rates to the local economy, the report finds.
‘The Quiet Revolution: How Data Centres Remade Slough and Secured the UK’s Digital Future’ comes 12 months after the British government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, which proposed the creation of AI Growth Zones to accelerate infrastructure deployments in support of the country’s AI and economic ambitions.
The new study demonstrates that such a zone already exists in Slough, operating at around 1GW of capacity and providing a blueprint for regional economic growth.
The report reveals that data centres replaced declining manufacturing employment in the Slough area on a near one-to-one basis. They created approximately 8,000 construction jobs between 2010 and 2025 alongside hundreds of permanently skilled operational roles. These include jobs in mechanical, electrical and network engineering, construction, building, facilities management, and legal and architectural positions, as well on-site security and resiliency planning.
Slough hosts more than 30 operational data centres. “Slough shows, in very real terms, what happens when infrastructure is developed with planning certainty, energy availability and a skilled workforce, and our new report demonstrates that data centres have delivered long-term job creation, significant tax revenues and a resilient foundation for the UK’s AI and digital economies,” said Spencer Lamb, managing director and chief commercial officer at Kao Data.
“We firmly believe that data centres are a force for good in this country – providing well-paid, varied and ‘future proof’ employment, economic regeneration to post-industrial areas, and through operator-led energy procurement … helping transition the UK to a green economy.”
With Slough and west London’s grid constraints well-documented, the economic case for developing additional regional hubs in the UK has never been more urgent, Kao Data said.
Now that data centres are designated as Critical National Infrastructure, the report concludes that the UK must create additional clusters across the country to propel regional economic growth and provide security diversity.
