West London-based Virtus Knowledge Centres has introduced plans for a brand new information heart campus in Buckinghamshire.
Housed on a recently-acquired 50 acre freehold plot in Saunderton, near the corporate’s current information heart hub of Slough, the brand new facility is being launched in response to quickly accelerating calls for for AI and cloud purposes, the corporate stated.
The power will embody 4 information facilities able to delivering IT capability of 75 MW.
Planning permission has been granted for the positioning, which has already been cleared in readiness for building, with the construct attributable to begin by the top of this yr and to return into service within the second quarter of 2026.
“The acquisition of this new 50-acre campus is a big step in VIRTUS’ strategic development plans. It demonstrates our ongoing dedication to supply superior information heart services within the UK, while additionally increasing our operations in Europe,” stated Virtus CEO Neil Cresswell.
“Our focus is to help the evolving necessities of our prospects, wherever they want them, and the burgeoning demand for AI-ready information infrastructure. We’re devoted to being on the forefront of supporting companies on their digital transformation journeys, while making certain that our information facilities are constructed to the very best sustainability requirements, aligning with our goal to be carbon impartial by 2030.”
Like its different websites, the campus will function 100% renewable vitality, in response to Virtus. The corporate stated it is also dedicated to a zero-waste-to-landfill precept throughout the facility’s operation, and that it hopes to attain Management in Power and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold accreditation for sustainability.
Different sustainability options embody the usage of rainwater harvesting and an exploration of the opportunity of utilizing waste warmth for close by farming. The corporate will even make an annual carbon offset cost to the native authority for the following ten years, with the money going to native environmental enchancment tasks.
In the meantime, Virtus stated the event will deliver enhancements to native infrastructure, in addition to coaching alternatives for the area people.
Virtus already has a number of services within the UK, totalling greater than 178MW of energy in over 77,000 sq. meters of knowledge heart house. All these places, the corporate stated, are interconnected to key websites in London by limitless connectivity from Tier I and Tier II carriers.
final yr, it additionally introduced plans for a ‘mega-campus’ in Wustermark in Germany, with 300MW of incoming energy, geared toward hyperscale, authorities, and enterprise prospects.
With the rising reputation of AI and cloud applied sciences, demand for information facilities is rocketing throughout Europe, and the trade is failing to maintain tempo.
In a report revealed final week, CBRE discovered there was 601MW of take-up throughout the 14 largest markets in Europe in 2023, in contrast with simply 561MW of latest provide delivered throughout the identical interval.
