Colt Data Centre Services has secured approval to invest £2.5 billion ($3.3 billion) in three hyperscale data centers at its Hayes Digital Park campus in west London.

The expansion, approved by Hillingdon Council, will add 97 MW of IT capacity to the site near Heathrow Airport — more than doubling its total capacity to 160 MW. Construction is slated to begin mid-2026, with the first facility going live in early 2029.

Britain's AI gold rush hits a wall – not enough electricity

The new facilities — designated London 6, 7, and 8 — will run entirely on renewable energy through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), Colt said. Under planning restrictions, backup generators can operate for a maximum of 15 hours annually. Grid connection via high-voltage supply is scheduled for October 2027.

Colt

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