Colt DCS starts build-out of renewably powered West London datacentre campus

Hyperscale-focused colocation provider Colt Data Centre Services (DCS) has started work on the buildout of two datacentre buildings in Hayes, West London, which it claims will bring hundreds of jobs to the area.

As previously reported by Computer Weekly, the company secured planning permission in April 2022 to proceed with its plans to build a £400m datacentre campus after agreeing to fund upgrades to several local electricity substations after a infrastructure assessment concluded there was “insufficient electrical capacity” in the area to meet the project’s needs.

This is on the back of reports last year that the influx of datacentres into West London had led to grid capacity issues emerging, which could make it difficult for property developers to build new homes unless urgent action were taking to increase the available supply of power in the region.

As well as bringing more power onto the grid, the company said the development will also boost the local economy by creating 230 permanent jobs, as well as 350 temporary roles during the construction phase and a further 50 apprenticeships.

“Colt DCS is committed to delivering ongoing social value in the surrounding area by working with local schools to create an understanding of, and pathway to, jobs in the technology sector,” the company said in a statement.

Additionally, the firm has also committed to making “significant enhancements” to the landscaping of the site and surrounding area during the construction of its two hyperscale facilities, which are expected provide clients with a total of 57MW of available IT power.

There is also space on the site for a third, 30MW datacentre to be built as well, and Colt DCS has committed to powering all three facilities with renewable energy with backup generators on-hand that are powered by biodiesel.

The site will also be equipped with heat pump technology, which could potentially be used later down the line to reuse the excess heat generated by the equipment inside the campus to warm local homes and businesses.

Niclas Sanfridsson, CEO at Colt DCS, said the company has worked hard to ensure the datacentre campus adds community value to the local area.

“We worked closely with the local community and stakeholders through the planning process to intricately shape all aspects of this development, to outline the economic benefits it will bring, and to explain the critical role that datacentres play in all of our daily lives and most importantly what opportunities this brings for the local communities,” said Sanfridsson.

Richard Wellbrock, vice-president of real estate at Colt DCS, added: “We very much see ourselves as part of the local community. That’s why we wanted to share this significant moment with all the key stakeholders we have worked with along the way, including local schools and other neighbours with whom we are building long term partnerships to deliver social value in the area. This is truly an exciting journey for us all.”