QTS starts enabling works for huge Cambois data centre campus

QTS has begun site preparation for a hyperscale data centre campus at Cambois, Northumberland, a scheme that could scale to 720MW across up to 10 facilities and attract around £10 billion in investment following approval for enabling works in August.

The data centre campus is backed by funds managed by affiliates of Blackstone, with QTS noting that the campus will create thousands of jobs in the North East as the region positions itself as an AI Growth Zone.

The Cambois project is also the first new-build UK data centre to receive National Skills Academy for Construction status from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), aligning the build with formal workforce development targets.

QTS hosted an onsite event marking the start of work last week, with around 200 stakeholders, including local business leaders and politicians in attendance. Alongside those key stakeholders QTS co-CEO Tag Greason joined Glen Sanderson, Leader of Northumberland County Council, to mark the milestone.

Greason commented, “QTS is thrilled to have officially started work on the site of our data centre campus. While this is the first step in a long journey, it is a visible milestone of progress made possible by the support of the local community and Northumberland County Council. We want to have a lasting positive impact on the North East, which is why we’ve announced our commitment to create more than a thousand new jobs – boosting the skills of hundreds of local people in the coming years.”

Kanishka Narayan, the UK Government’s AI Minister, added, “When we said this would create new opportunities for people in the North East, we meant it. Within weeks of announcing, work on the site is already starting – creating new routes for young people to move into employment. That includes hundreds of apprenticeships, placements and internships – as well as fresh opportunities for local businesses so the whole community gets behind this effort.

“By attracting investment, putting researchers within touching distance of tech that will lead to major breakthroughs and backing the North East as an AI powerhouse, we’re delivering real change for generations to come.”

Kim McGuinness, who is the Mayor of the North East, noted, “AI will be transformational for our communities. It will create thousands of jobs for local people while allowing the North East to lead the way in tech innovations. That’s why we’re wasting no time in building the technology of the future, today. Just two weeks ago we announced £30 billion investment to make the North East the country’s first AI Growth Zone. We’ve wasted no time and work is already underway to get the world-class data centres up and running so we can make sure there are opportunities for local people as quickly as possible.”

As part of the project, QTS has vowed to tackle higher-than-average unemployment and economic inactivity in the North East. It’s planning to do so by committing to: 

  • 1,000+ new jobs, with a target for 50% of roles to be filled locally.
  • Over 100 apprenticeships and jobs with training, 150+ paid internships, and 200+ work placements, including 100 T-level placement days.
  • Training and upskilling through events, courses and initiatives to support the existing and future workforce.
  • Local supply-chain investment and partnerships with small businesses.

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