The UK government has officially classified data centres as ‘critical national infrastructure.’
- This new classification is expected to stimulate significant investment in the UK’s cloud sector.
- AWS plans a £8bn investment in UK data centres, supporting local jobs and GDP.
- A proposed data centre by DC01UK could become one of Europe’s largest if approved.
- The tech sector views this development as pivotal for economic growth in the UK.
In a significant policy shift, the UK government has reclassified data centres as ‘critical national infrastructure.’ This marks the first time in nearly a decade that a new sector has been designated as such, placing data centres alongside essential services like water, energy, and emergency services. This move aims to reassure the cloud industry and facilitate greater government support in crisis management, thus enhancing its appeal to investors.
The announcement has already garnered commitment from major cloud businesses. AWS, a dominant player in the UK’s public cloud market, has committed to investing £8bn over the next five years. This investment is projected to enhance the UK GDP by £14bn by 2028 and sustain over 14,000 full-time jobs annually across local businesses, significantly bolstering the economy.
Further contributing to this momentum, DC01UK has unveiled plans for a cutting-edge data centre in Hertsmere, Hertfordshire. If approved, this facility is set to become one of Europe’s most expansive data centre campuses, highlighting the strong growth potential in the sector.
The UK government’s recent openness to data centre expansion underlines its commitment to economic growth. In July, it reviewed plans for new centres in the London commuter belt, indicating a willingness to support infrastructure development by potentially overruling local planning objections.
Industry leaders have praised the government’s decision. Matthew Evans from techUK expressed strong support for classifying data centres as critical infrastructure, acknowledging their fundamental role in driving the UK’s digital economy forward. His statements underscore the sector’s anticipation of positive impacts from this policy change.
This strategic move by the UK government is poised to strengthen the cloud sector’s economic contributions significantly.
