Blackpool Council chooses supplier for £250m Silicone Sands contract

Blackpool Council has announced its intention to appoint German firm HOCHTIEF for the first phase of Silicon Sands, a new business park designed to attract technology and digital companies to the area, creating new, well-paid jobs for residents.

A procurement process is currently being finalised for the development of the first energy-efficient data centre at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone, which the council says will bring up to £300m of investment into the Fylde coast.

The procurement exercise is now subject to a mandatory standstill period and final governance approvals prior to formally awarding the contract, thought to be worth £250m.

The provisional agreement would mean that the investment, construction and running costs would be entirely met by the private sector, following Blackpool Council and Lancashire Combined County Authority’s previous work and funding to assemble the land.

Outline planning permission has already been granted for the sustainability-focussed data centre along with a 20,000sq ft office and research space, with a 6MW electrical supply offer from SP Electricity North West.

The council says Silicon Sands has the potential to support thousands of high-value jobs across the region both directly and indirectly, through investment in artificial intelligence, data infrastructure, renewable energy and innovation-led growth.

The location for Silicon Sands, Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone, also has access to substantial power infrastructure. This includes an additional 32MVA primary substation currently under construction by SP Electricity North West, plans for on-site solar power and future opportunities to connect to renewable energy sources such as offshore wind farms in the Irish Sea.

 Cllr Mark Smith, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for economy and built environment, said: “This is a huge step forward for the future of Blackpool and showing the UK that data centres can create jobs and also tackle the climate emergency.

“Silicon Sands is a transformational opportunity not just for Blackpool, but for Lancashire as a whole. It has the potential to attract significant investment, create thousands of well-paid jobs and establish our region as a leader in sustainable digital infrastructure.

“This project is about more than just data centres. We’re working with responsible suppliers to develop energy-efficient data centres that are also environmentally friendly by using renewable energy, innovative cooling technology and a district heat network to maximise energy use and reduce waste heat.

“Blackpool is becoming a leader in green technology with Silicon Sands leading the way in making the entire data industry more environmentally friendly, all while creating skilled jobs for local people. It’s all part of our plan to make Blackpool better for the people who live here.”

 Alongside the environmental benefits, Silicon Sands will also take advantage of Blackpool’s strong digital connectivity. The CeltixConnect-2 cable at Blackpool Airport has the fastest connection in the UK, sending a third of the world’s internet traffic between the US and the UK in less than 0.064 seconds.

The first data centre will be at the site of the old fire station and engineering yard at Blackpool Airport, which was demolished in 2023, as well as on the site of the airport’s old administration offices and security point. A new administration and passenger facility was built in 2025.

Silicon Sands is one of Lancashire Combined County Authority’s transformational projects in the Lancashire Growth Plan. The council received £2m in funding from the Lancashire devolution deal for acquisition of the site.