The South Pier
Artist’s impression of Silicon Sands SHIFTING SANDS
The sands are shifting in Blackpool’s favour. Its ambitious plan to become a significant data centre hotbed is moving in the right direction.
There are a number of reasons why Blackpool believes its Silicon Sands vision can make it a major player in the new, emerging world of data and AI.
The main one is that it sits directly in the heart of the North Atlantic Loop subsea internet cable, which connects northern Europe and the United States.
The cable can handle up to one-third of the world’s internet, connecting Blackpool to New York in less than 0.064 seconds and even faster across the UK and northern Europe.
Added to that Blackpool also benefits from its own ultra-low latency fibre network, which enables high-speed, high-bandwidth digital service.
Then there is the need for power – lots of it. The Silicon Sands project aims to capitalise on more than three gigawatts of offshore wind power currently in development in the Irish Sea, set to come ashore on the Fylde Coast.
The 40-acre data campus envisaged for the site, which sits on the airport Enterprise Zone (EZ) also has major green credentials as a selling point.
With the support of Lancaster University, Silicon Sands has been pioneering the concept of net-zero, sustainable data centres, using immersion cooling technology rather than air, and incorporating waste heat recovery.
Experts say liquid immersion cooling reduces the environmental impact of cooling fans, while also increasing efficiency of the data centres by up to 60 per cent.
The liquid heated up through the cooling process would also be transferred into a district heating network, re-using the waste heat, and providing an option for companies at Silicon Sands to benefit from reduced energy bills.
Nick Gerrard, growth and prosperity programme director at Blackpool Council, says all these
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Laura Cavanagh, Pleasure Beach Resort Andrea Challis, Partington Group Nick Gerrard, Blackpool Council Peter Greenall, Blackpool and The Fylde College Laurance Hancock, The Boathouse Youth Tom Smith, Complete Steve Sorah, Trident
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things add up to give Silicon Sands what he desribes as a “unique advantage”.
The plan, he adds is based on sustainable power and battery storage. The prize for success is great.
He also reveals that a planning application has been submitted to build an ‘exemplar site’. The aim of this demonstrator is to establish the foundation for the expansion of the campus.
Nick says: “We are currently in discussions with a series of people who are going to invest between £60m and £80m just to get this first phase off the ground.”
The digital ambition now stretches beyond the airport EZ. A bid has been submitted to government for AI Growth Zone status which would include other parts of the Fylde coast.
The government says that these new zones will
Blackpool Conference and Exhibition Centre
unlock investment in AI-enabled data centres and support infrastructure by improving access to power and providing planning support.
Nick says Silicon Sands will go ahead whether or not the status is achieved but adds that if the bid is successful: “Our economic estimate is that it has the capability of leading to 14,000 more jobs if we fulfil our potential in this area.
“It is big stuff. What we are looking at is resolving the energy shortage challenge and demand for data, neither of which are going to go away.”
Silicon Sands and the airport EZ are key initiatives in the new Lancashire Combined County Authority’s growth plan for the county.
With more than 2,600 jobs already achieved, and an estimated £300m of additional private sector development potential, 25 acres of newly unlocked commercial land is being primed for development for commercial use at the EZ’s Eastern Gateway.
Continued on Page 58
2026 CATEGORIES
AI and Tech Innovation Award NEW Built Environment Award Commitment to Skills Award
Creative Business Award NEW Customer Service Award
Deal of the Year Award NEW Design Award Digital Award
Employer of the Year Award
Environmental, Social and Governance Award Export Award
Family Business Award Large Business Award Made in Lancashire Award Medium Business Award Micro Business Award New Business Award Not-for-profit Award
Professional Services Award Scale-Up Award Small Business Award
Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality Award Transformation Award
Transport and Logistics Award
Image: VisitBlackpool
Image: VisitBlackpool
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