Investors, asset managers and designers are increasingly recognising the diversity of new data centre occupiers’ needs and are adapting their proposals accordingly. This change will only increase as the market matures.

The UK’s data centre market is experiencing rapid expansion, driven by surging demand from data-intensive industries, increased investment appetite, and evolving occupier needs. While supply still lags behind North America — Cushman & Wakefield’s 2024 EMEA data centre report notes that London’s 2,666 megawatts of data centre supply is barely a 10th of Virginia’s 23,042 megawatts — momentum is strong. Between January and October 2024 alone, Savills recorded 415 acres of land deals involving data centre operators, and JLL found London’s total data centre space increased by 43 percent year-over-year. This confidence from investors and owner-occupiers underscores the market’s rapid maturation.

However, this expansion is not uniform. Tra