Tom BurgessNorth East and Cumbria
Latos
A 3D rendering of the new £100m site on the outskirts of Stockton
Plans for a £100m AI data centre have been approved on Teesside.
Developers Latos Data Centres say the project, at Preston Farms Industrial Estate on the outskirts of Stockton, will boost local businesses and could create 150 jobs.
Building work is expected to start at the end of the year after the borough council gave plans the green light. The company said it hoped to be fully operational by 2028.
Industry Minister and Stockton North Labour MP Chris McDonald praised the investment in “skills and opportunities for the future”.
Andy Collin, managing director, said it was building a “purpose-built factory” that was “future proof”.
“We’re trying to get Teesside back on the map,” he said.
The facility – which will be a Neural Data Centre – is meant to meet the demands of AI and advanced computing. It will consist of two commercial units, plants and substations, as well as offices.
‘Modern economy’
Agent Create Architecture said it was hoped the centre would “assist with regeneration of the heavy industry industrial area for Teesside and the immediate environment”.
McDonald said: “This is exactly the kind of investment our community deserves – not just jobs for today, but skills and opportunities for the future.
“Stockton, Billingham and Norton have always been places of industry and innovation, and now we’re leading again in a cutting-edge sector that underpins the modern economy.”
The announcement comes almost a fortnight after the government announced plans to create an AI growth zone in the North East, which includes two sites in Northumberland and Tyneside.
However, Teesworks in Redcar was not included in the initial announcement. The government said it was working through more than 200 proposals, including Redcar, to “identify the most promising”.