Pure DC to Build First Fully Fitted Data Centre with SEGRO

An innovative partnership between Pure Data Centres Group (Pure DC) and SEGRO is resulting in the development of a 56MW data centre in Park Royal, London.

This is SEGRO’s first fully fitted data centre and the company expects to pre-lease it to a hyperscaler. The facility is proposed within a core London Availability Zone that has limited competing supply of land and power.

Investment is expected to be around £1bn (US$1.29bn), with SEGRO contributing £150m (US$193.74m) - with the data centre itself expected to deliver a 9-10% net yield on cost.

Speaking at our event, Data Centre LIVE, this morning, Pure DC CEO Dame Dawn Childs shared: “We are thrilled to have such a brilliant partner in SEGRO.

"This build is really game-changing for us and hopefully the start of even better things to come.”

Benefitting from Pure DC’s expertise

Pure DC remains a world-class data centre operator with more than a decade of experience in the design, build and operation of leading data centres for hyperscale users.

The joint venture brings together a 10 acre industrial site owned by SEGRO, the British property investment and development company. Pure DC has secured 70MVA of power to deliver a data centre in an area that is power-constrained and already has strong demand for digital services.

Whilst SEGRO has been delivering powered shells to major data centre operators for more than 20 years, this will be SEGRO’s first fully fitted data centre project. As a result, SEGRO is optimistic as it seeks to benefit from Pure DC’s technical expertise in a data centre fit-out, in addition to its strong track record of working with hyperscalers. 

“Building on our 20 years of experience in the powered shell data centre market, we have been exploring  how best to utilise our skills and 2.3GW land-enabled power bank to maximise the opportunity in this fast growing sector,” says David Sleath, CEO of SEGRO.

“We expect this project to deliver an attractive risk-adjusted return and it will also help further strengthen SEGRO’s expertise in this area, enabling us to optimise and accelerate the significant value creation  opportunity within our portfolio.” 

The data centre will also be constructed to the highest sustainability standards, which are in line with SEGRO’s Mandatory Sustainability Policy and Pure DC’s Healthier Earth commitments. As a result, energy efficient solutions, including a closed loop liquid cooling system, hopes to minimise the potential impact on the local water supply.

The fit out will also include mechanical and electrical elements and long lead equipment such as power distribution, cabling and cooling systems. Development of the project is also expected to create hundreds of jobs during its multi-year construction phase, in addition to a range of support being offered to upskill the local community - with emphasis on fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce within the technology sector.

Additionally, Pure DC will be contributing 70MVA of secured power to enable the delivery of a 56MW IT load data centre. The location of the site in London plans to be very attractive for potential hyperscalers looking to grow their capacity in the city - which remains one of the largest data centre markets in Europe.

“This joint venture demonstrates Pure DC’s ability to scale in a rapidly expanding market, creating fresh opportunities for growth and investment,” Dame Dawn Childs says. “Premier Road, Park Royal is one of London’s most sought-after data centre locations and will help support  the UK’s ambitions for digitalisation.” 

Speaking at Data Centre LIVE, she added: “Ensuring that we have the right assets and the right critical national infrastructure in place is incredibly important.”

Expanding critical infrastructure in the UK

Categorising data centres Critical National Infrastructure in the UK at the end of 2024, the UK government is eager to bolster data centre industry development as part of its mission to become a global AI leader.

The country has faced questions over its national infrastructure in recent months, particularly in the wake of the power outage at London Heathrow, the country’s busiest airport, on Friday.

Data centres remain critical to the digital economy and hope to create highly skilled job opportunities in London and across the UK, whilst also providing the essential infrastructure needed to drive continued technological innovation and growth.

“Private investment like this innovative partnership between SEGRO and Pure DC will help us ensure the  UK has the digital infrastructure it needs to thrive, helping us harness the power of technology to grow the  economy and raise living standards, the central missions in our Plan for Change.” 

Both SEGRO and Pure DC are expected to each retain a 50% share in the project through to completion. Clearance of the site will now commence, with construction expected to start in 2026 and availability for customer use will be ready from 2029.

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