Data centres / Growth zones
UK AI Growth Zones
AI Growth Zones are government-designated locations where AI data centre development is backed by faster planning and improved access to power. Each zone below uses the same template: investment, power and grid, planning and a sourced progress timeline. Figures are only shown where an operator or government has published them — nothing here is estimated.
- Designated zones tracked
- 5
- Stated investment
- £48.2bn
- Disclosed capacity
- 2,700 MW
Zones
Culham AI Growth Zone
VerifiedCulham, South East
- Stated investment
- Not published
- Published capacity
- 100 MW
- Status
- Approved
- Announced
- 13 January 2025
Latest: Designated UK's first AI Growth Zone — 13 January 2025
North East England AI Growth Zone (Cobalt Park & Blyth)
VerifiedWallsend & Blyth, North East
- Stated investment
- £30bn
- Published capacity
- 1,100 MW
- Status
- Approved
- Announced
- 16 September 2025
Latest: Designated AI Growth Zone; Stargate UK launch announced — 18 September 2025
North Wales AI Growth Zone
VerifiedWales
- Stated investment
- Not published
- Published capacity
- Not published
- Status
- Approved
- Announced
- 13 November 2025
Latest: Designated AI Growth Zone spanning Anglesey and Trawsfynydd — 13 November 2025
South Wales AI Growth Zone
VerifiedBridgend, Wales
- Stated investment
- £10bn
- Published capacity
- 1,000 MW
- Status
- Approved
- Announced
- 20 November 2025
Latest: Nebius leases capacity at Vantage's Newport campus — 1 June 2026
Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone
VerifiedAirdrie, Scotland
- Stated investment
- £8.2bn
- Published capacity
- 500 MW
- Status
- Approved
- Announced
- 29 January 2026
Latest: Designated fifth AI Growth Zone — 29 January 2026
Related research
- UK data-centre tracker — every tracked project, including the zones above.
- Regional hubs — what each nation and region has on record.
- UK AI Energy Index — indicators behind AI-driven electricity demand.
- AI growth zone impact calculator — model the electricity implications of a zone.