UK land gains new life in the age of the AI boom
GOOGL
Published on 04/24/2026 at 09:20 am EDT - Modified on 04/24/2026 at 09:33 am EDT
STORY: This land was left dormant after the decline of the chemical industry in northeastern England.
But it has gained new luster with the boom of AI.
Blessed with power plants, water and a grid connection, the former petrochemical site has just what it takes to house a top AI data center campus.
That's what CEO of Sembcorp UK Mike Patrick hopes.
His firm owns the Wilton International site in northeast England's Teesside.
"Data centers are becoming more relevant in the UK, although we suffer with some of the highest energy prices in the UK, there's still a requirement to put data centers in the UK."
:: Archive
Across Britain, owners of industrial sites, property developers and even farmers are racing to cash in on the billions of dollars tech giants plan to spend on AI data centers.
Data shows plans for 119 data centers have been submitted.
Sites are as varied as an old paint factory, a Travelodge hotel and a retail center near Heathrow Airport.
Patrick said regions like the northeast have had a surge in desirability in the tech industry.
"With the evolution of AI and the need for big power, big learning data centers, the proximity to London is not quite as relevant...with AI, the latency, so the speed at which you need to process and transfer data back and forward, isn't as important."
Momentum grew last year after King Charles hosted a banquet with Donald Trump and tech bosses.
Companies including Google, Microsoft and Nvidia all pledged to invest billions in Britain's digital infrastructure.
Experts said the AI gold rush has spawned a whole new industry around data center wannabes.
It's upended land valuations and created a logjam in the lengthy queue for grid connections...
With Britain's energy department saying demand for connections leapt 460% in the first six months of 2025.
As the tech evolution continues to explode, it may breathe life into Britain's cheaper industrial sites.