Data Centre and Heat Network Development at Silicon Sands Campus

Blackpool Council is seeking a third-party concessionaire to invest in, develop, and operate a modern data centre with associated office space at the Silicon Sands site within Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone. The concessionaire will also be responsible for connecting waste heat from the data centre to a proposed local heat network serving the campus. This concession contract aims to establish exemplar digital infrastructure that will generate economic and social benefits for the region, including skilled employment opportunities, educational initiatives, and attraction of inward investment in high-tech sectors such as AI systems and start-ups. The successful concessionaire will operate under a 250-year lease arrangement. This procurement is conducted under sections 3(4) and 8 of the Procurement Act 2023.