UK Construction Journal - Issue 1 - April 2026 - Flipbook - Page 6
Google Waltham Cross data centre,
image © Google
Google Opens Waltham Cross Data
Centre as Part of Two-year £5 Billion
Investment in the UK to Help Power
its AI Economy
Google opened its data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as part of a two-year £5 billion
investment in the UK. Opened in September 2025 by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the state-of-theart data centre will help meet growing demand for Google’s AI-powered services like Google
Cloud, Workspace, Search and Maps that people, businesses and public organisations across the
country use every day.
More than 250 companies worked on building the facility –
the majority of them local.
Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer said:
“
“
Google’s £5bn investment is a powerful vote of
confidence in the UK economy and the strength of our
partnership with the US, creating jobs and economic
growth for years to come.
The £5 billion investment includes Google’s capital
expenditure, research and development, and related
engineering over the next two years – and encompasses
Google DeepMind with its pioneering AI research in science
and healthcare. The investments will help the UK develop its AI
economy and unlock AI breakthroughs across the UK, fortify
cybersecurity, and create future-focused career opportunities
for millions of Brits. Google’s investment is projected to create
8,250 jobs annually at UK businesses.
This government is reversing decades of underinvestment
that has held us back for too long, by slashing burdensome
red tape, delivering bold reforms of the planning system
and investing in better tech to unlock better jobs and
opportunities. Through our Plan for Change we are
building an economy that works for, and rewards,
working people.”
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