Manchester and the UK’s wider northern region is tipped to experience growth as a data centre hub, according to Knight Frank.
The consultancy’s most recent data centre report, covering emerging markets across EMEA, found the total IT power for Manchester and the wider northern region stands at 78.53Mw of live capacity. There are also 54.78MW of committed capacity, with a further 40MW of early stage capacity.
Manchester and the North had 74.03MW of live capacity last year, while committed capacity has remained unchanged year-on-year.
The most notable data centre developments in Manchester so far this year was Kao Data opening a new 40MW facility.
According to Knight Frank, Manchester and the North is the sixth-biggest emerging market for data centres across the entire EMEA region. Johannesburg tops the list, with Zurich in second place, followed by Warsaw, Munich and Istanbul. Vienna, Nairobi, Cairo, Casablanca and Bucharest round out the top 11 emerging data centre markets line-up.
Total capacity across these markets has reached just over 1,577MW as of 30 June this year, following an uptick of 137.2MW from the end of March.
Across EMEA, supply at the end of the second quarter of 2023 totalled 21,800MW, up from 20,635MW recorded on 31 March, and higher than 16,878MW reported for Q2 2022.
Take up, meanwhile, has slowed to 227MW from 234MW quarter-on-quarter, and from 384MW reported a year ago.
Knight Frank noted that higher rates of borrowing, coupled with limitations on local power networks and looming concerns of a recession, have temporarily dampened growth.
To send feedback, e-mail evelina.grecenko@eg.co.uk or tweet @Gre_Eve or @EGPropertyNews
