(Alliance News) - Tritax Big Box REIT PLC on Tuesday said it has acquired a plot of land in London on which it intends to build one of the UK's largest data centres at a total of 448,000 square feet.
The London-based real estate investment trust that invests in large logistics warehouses said it has bought a 74-acre site within the Slough Availability Zone, a "prime" Europe, Middle East & Africa data centre location, near Heathrow Airport.
The new Manor Farm site is adjacent to key data cable routes, making it attractive to hyperscaler and co-location operators.
Tritax Big Box also on Tuesday said it has acquired a 50% interest in a joint venture with an unnamed "leading" European renewable and low carbon energy power generator, to accelerate the development of power delivery at the Manor Farm site.
An initial data centre of 107 megawatts is planned for the site, Tritax Big Box said, with a possible further second phase data centre expansion of 40 megawatts, bringing the site's total potential capacity to 147 megawatts.
It will begin development for an initial cost of around GBP365 million, with the first phase data centre targeted for delivery in the second half of 2027. The group anticipates a 9.3% yield on cost.
Chair Aubrey Adams said: "This is a decisive and exciting first step for the company in the very attractive data centre market which the manager has unlocked with its power and real estate capabilities. This gives the company a considerable competitive advantage in capturing the growing demand for data centre infrastructure. The combination of Manor Farm's prime London location and accelerated access to critical grid connection agreements creates the opportunity to develop quickly one of the UK's largest data centres and deliver exceptional returns for our shareholders.
"Over the past four years, the manager has independently developed and invested in its power capabilities, securing a joint venture arrangement with one of Europe's largest major renewable and low-carbon energy generators which the company is now acquiring at Manor Farm. This provides accelerated access to power in this prime data centre location, where a lack of power has significantly restricted the development of these nationally critical infrastructure projects.
"Having taken extensive and independent professional advice, the board of Tritax Big Box has successfully negotiated preferential access and terms for this opportunity, which generates exceptional returns and complements our logistics development pipeline. The board has also negotiated a right of first refusal with the manager for all future data centre opportunities with up to around 1 gigawatt of power capacity."
Shares in Tritax Big Box were up 3.3% at 141.10 pence each in London on Tuesday morning.
By Emily Parsons, Alliance News reporter
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