Plans for a £61m data centre in Salford have been approved with construction expected to begin in 2022.
The nearly 13339 sq.metre International Business Exchange MA5 facility will be built by California-based Equinix – the company’s fifth data centre in the greater Manchester area.
The MA5 project will be done in stages, with the first phase creating 3600 sq.metres for colocation, which will hold servers that companies can rent. When finished the centre will contain 6500 sq.metres for colocation specifically.
Equinix said it chose the Manchester region to house its data hubs because of its ‘fast-growing technology scene’ and ’emerging start-up ecosystem’.
Manchester also has network routes to the United States and access to international subsea cables.
Lorraine Wilkinson, UK vice president of sales at Equinix, said: “With a rich industrial history, Manchester has long been one of the UK’s leading cities for business, catering to globally renowned companies and start-ups looking to grow and scale their operations.
“MA5 will provide high-speed connectivity to the North of England, facilitating the next generation of digital transformation within the region.
“The new site will bring Equinix’s total investment in Manchester to over £130m, and £1bn+ in the UK’s digital infrastructure as a whole.”
Rendition of Equinix MA5 International Business Exchange (IBX) in Manchester (Credit: Equinix)
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