Plans for a further AI data centre in a county, located just miles from another site, have been submitted. <\/p>\n
Wansbeck Regeneration Ltd plans to build the \u00a33.8bn centre on agricultural land at West Sleekburn in Northumberland, less than two miles (3.2km) from the centre at the former Blyth Power Station<\/a> at Cambois.<\/p>\n The North East has been designated as an AI growth zone<\/a>, with the government and political leaders hoping to establish the region as one of Europe’s largest data centre hubs.<\/p>\n The supplier said the site had its own private water supply via a borehole and would therefore, it claimed, have no impact on the supply to nearby residents and industrial sites.<\/p>\n Planning agents Lichfields stated the scheme could generate a “significant” number of jobs, estimating up to 785 direct full-time jobs and 1095 indirect roles could be created.<\/p>\n The proposed site, which is currently used for agriculture, lies directly south of the River Wansbeck and north of Brock Lane, with the A189 running to the east. <\/p>\n The application’s planning statement points out data centres “benefit from clustering” and that it would benefit from its “proximity” to the other site, the Local Democracy Reporting Service<\/a> said. <\/p>\n Leaflets about the potential development were distributed to residents earlier this year, with consultation events also held, the documents said.<\/p>\n If approved, an outline application would establish the principle of development on the site, but a further, more detailed application would need to be submitted and approved before any construction work could take place.<\/p>\n Outline permission for the first facility – run by US giant UTS – was granted in March.<\/p>\n Follow BBC North East on X, external<\/a>, Facebook, external<\/a>, Nextdoor<\/a> and Instagram, external<\/a>. <\/p>\n