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Data centres to be expanded across UK as concerns mount
Getty ImagesThe number of data centres in the UK is set to increase by almost a fifth, according to figures shared with BBC News.
Data centres are giant warehouses full of powerful computers used to run digital services from movie streaming to online banking – there are currently an estimated 477 of them in the UK.
Construction researchers Barbour have analysed planning documents and say that number is set to jump by almost 100, as the growth in artificial intelligence (AI) increases the need for processing power.
The majority are due to be built in the next five years.
However, there are concerns about the huge amount of energy and water the new data centres will consume.
Some experts have warned it could drive up prices paid by consumers.
More than half of the new data centres would be in London and neighbouring counties.
Many are privately funded by US tech giants such as Google and Microsoft and major investment firms.
A further nine are planned in Wales, one in Scotland, five in Greater Manchester and a handful in other parts of the UK, the data shows.
While the new data centres are mostly due for completion by 2030, the biggest single one planned would come later – a £10-billion AI data centre in Blyth, near Newcastle, for the American private investment and wealth management company Blackstone Group.
It would involve building 10 giant buildings covering 540,000 square meters – the size of several large shopping centres – on the site of a former Blyth Power Station.
Works are set to begin in 2031 and last for more than three years.
Microsoft is planning four new data centres in the UK at a total cost of £330 million, with an estimated completion between 2027 and 2029 – two in the Leeds area, one near Newport in Wales, and a five-storey site in Acton, north west London.
And Google is building two data centres, totalling £450m, spread over 400,000 sq m in north east London in the Lee Valley water system.
By some analyses, the UK is already the third-largest nation for data centres behind the US and Germany.
The government has made clear it believes data centres are central to the UK’s economic future – designating them critical national infrastructure.
But there are concerns about their impact, including the potential knock-on effect on people’s energy bills.
It is not known what the energy consumption of the new centres will be as this data is not included in the planning applications, but US data suggests they are can be considerably more powerful than older ones.
Dr Sasha Luccioni, AI and climate lead at machine learning firm Hugging Face, explains that in the US “average citizens in places like Ohio are seeing their monthly bills go up by $20 (£15) because of data centres”.
She said the timeline for the new data centres in the UK was “aggressive” and called for “mechanisms for companies to pay the price for extra energy to power data centres – not consumers”.
According to the National System Operator, NESO, the projected growth of data centres in Great Britain could “add up to 71 TWh of electricity demand” in the next 25 years, which it says redoubles the need for clean power – such as offshore wind.
‘Fixated with sustainability’
There are also growing concerns about the environmental impact of these enormous buildings.
Many existing data centre plants require large quantities of water to prevent them from overheating – and most current owners do not share data about their water consumption.
Stephen Hone, chief executive of industry body the Data Centre Alliance, says “ensuring there is enough water and electricity powering data centres isn’t something the industry can solve on its own”.
But he insisted “data centres are fixated with becoming as sustainable as possible”, such as through dry-cooling methods.
Such promises of future solutions have failed to appease some.
In Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, residents are objecting to the construction of a £3.8bn cloud and AI centre on greenbelt land, describing the area as the “lungs” of their home.
And in Dublin there is currently a moratorium on the building of any new data centres because of the strain existing ones have placed on Ireland’s national electricity provider.
In 2023 they accounted for one fifth of the country’s energy demand.
Getty ImagesLast month, Anglian Water objected to plans for a 435 acre data centre site in North Lincolnshire. The developer says it aims to deploy “closed loop” cooling systems which would not place a strain on the water supply.
The planning documents suggest that 28 of the new data centres would be likely to be serviced by troubled Thames Water, including 14 more in Slough, which has already been described as having Europe’s largest cluster of the buildings.
The BBC understands Thames Water was talking to the government earlier this year about the challenge of water demand in relation to data centres and how it can be mitigated.
Water UK, the trade body for all water firms, said it “desperately” wants to supply the centres but “planning hurdles” need to be cleared more quickly.
Ten new reservoirs are being built in Lincolnshire, the West Midlands and south-east England.
A spokesperson for the UK Government said data centres were “essential” and an AI Energy Council had been established to make sure supply can meet demand, alongside £104bn in water infrastructure investment.
Additional reporting by Tommy Lumby
Last Updated:
Gold is sold at a discount in Dubai due to Middle East conflict disrupting flights. Traders offer up to $30 per ounce less than London prices.
Dubai Gold Selling Cheaper As Iran War Grounds Flights
Gold is being sold at a discount in Dubai as the widening conflict in the Middle East disrupts flights and hampers the movement of bullion from one of the world’s key trading hubs.
According to a Bloomberg report, traders in Dubai are offering discounts of up to $30 per ounce compared to the global benchmark price in London. The unusual price cut comes as shipments remain stranded due to flight disruptions triggered by the escalating conflict involving Iran and Israel.
Dubai is a key global centre for refining and exporting gold to markets across Asia, including India. However, partial airspace restrictions and heightened security risks have slowed the movement of bullion out of the region.
Why Gold Is Being Sold Cheaper
Gold is typically transported in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft. With several flights from the UAE restricted amid regional tensions, traders are struggling to move bullion to international markets.
At the same time, insurance and freight costs have surged, making shipments more expensive and uncertain. Many buyers have therefore stepped back from placing new orders, unwilling to bear high logistics costs without assurance of timely delivery.
To avoid paying prolonged storage and financing costs while shipments remain stuck, some traders are offering gold at discounted prices.
Although transporting bullion by road to airports in neighbouring countries such as Saudi Arabia or Oman is theoretically possible, logistics firms are reluctant due to the risks and complications of moving high-value cargo across land borders during a conflict.
What It Means For India
India, one of the largest buyers of gold shipped from Dubai, could face short-term supply disruptions if the situation continues.
Renisha Chainani, head of research at Augmont Enterprises Ltd., said several cargo shipments have already been delayed, creating temporary tightness in the availability of physical bullion in India.
However, industry experts as reported by Bloomberg say the immediate impact may remain limited as domestic inventories are currently comfortable after heavy imports earlier this year.
Chirag Sheth, principal consultant for South Asia at Metals Focus, said Bloomberg that India has ample stocks for now, but warned that prolonged disruptions could eventually affect supply if the conflict continues for several months.
Meanwhile, global gold prices have surged this year amid geopolitical uncertainty, with spot gold recently trading above $5,000 per ounce.
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March 08, 2026, 10:03 IST
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Some seven in 10 British adults without a full driving licence say learning to drive is currently unaffordable, according to a survey.
The figure is even higher among younger people, with 76% of 18 to 29-year-olds without a licence saying driving lessons are financially out of reach, the poll for car insurer Prima found.
Overall, 38% said the cost of driving lessons was the biggest deterrent to learning to drive.
Some 32% were put off by the price of buying a car and 15% said the cost of car insurance was the main barrier to learning to drive.
Almost half (45%) said they would consider learning to drive if it became significantly cheaper.
Nick Ielpo, UK country manager at Prima, said: “For a growing number of people, driving is no longer a symbol of freedom – it’s a financial stretch too far.
“Between lessons, buying a car and insuring it, the upfront and ongoing costs are pricing many people out before they even start.”
Find Out Now surveyed 1,134 adults who do not hold a full driving licence between January 21 and 23.
KARACHI:
The Pakistan Stock Exchange’s (PSX) KSE-100 index experienced a sharp decline in the outgoing week, closing at 157,496 points, down 6.3% week-on-week, or 10,566 points.
This follows last week’s fall and brings the cumulative decline from its January 2026 peak of around 189,167 points to nearly 17%. The sell-off was driven by heightened geopolitical tensions stemming from the US-Iran conflict, which has rattled regional markets and prompted investors to reduce exposure amid fears of broader instability, rising energy prices and domestic security concerns.
On a day-on-day basis, the PSX commenced the week with its historical single-day decline as the benchmark KSE-100 index plunged 16,089 points, or 9.57%, to close at 151,973. Next day, it staged a partial recovery, with the index advancing 5,159 points, or 3.39%, at 157,132.
On Wednesday, however, the PSX witnessed a directionless session, when the KSE-100 closed at 155,777, down 1,355 points (-0.86%). The PSX recorded a sharp rebound on Thursday, with the benchmark index gaining 5,433 points (+3.49%) to close at 161,211. The market closed the week on a cautious note as the KSE-100 dropped by 3,715 points (-2.30%) to settle at 157,496.
In its weekly report, Arif Habib Limited (AHL) mentioned that the KSE-100 index witnessed a lacklustre performance during the outgoing week, closing at 157,496 points, down 6.3% WoW (10,566 points) amid geopolitical tensions due to the US-Iran conflict. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for February 2026 hit 7% year-on-year, the highest level since October 2024, compared to 5.8% in January 2026.
Among other economic data, a trade deficit of $3 billion was recorded in February. Exports amounted to $2.3 billion (-8% YoY) while imports reached $5.3 billion, down 1.6% YoY. Total cement dispatches for the month rose 12.53% YoY to 4.19 million tons compared to 3.73 million tons in February 2025. Provisional urea offtake remained subdued, falling 28% YoY to 251k tons, marking the lowest monthly offtake.
AHL mentioned that gas production edged down 0.1% WoW to 2,687 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) in the fourth week of Feb’26, while oil output fell 2.9% WoW to 59,103 barrels per day. A total of Rs581.7 billion was raised in the T-bill auction on Wednesday, with yields increasing across all tenors by 21.5 to 39.3 basis points. The government’s debt increased by 1% month-on-month to Rs79.3 trillion (+10% YoY) as of Jan’26 against Rs72.1 trillion in Jan’25.
Pakistan’s liquid foreign exchange reserves were recorded at $21.4 billion, up by $26.2 million, comprising $16.3 billion with the State Bank and $5.1 billion with commercial banks, AHL added.
Muhammad Waqas Ghani, Head of Research at JS Global, noted that the KSE-100 extended its decline during the week as heightened geopolitical tensions weighed on the market. The index dropped 10,566 points (-6.3%) WoW, following last week’s 5,108-point decline, pushing the cumulative fall from its January 2026 peak of 189,167 points to nearly 17%.
Market activity remained volatile throughout the week as investors continued to reduce exposure amid regional tensions and domestic security concerns. Sentiment also remained cautious ahead of key macro developments, with the IMF mission currently engaging with Pakistani authorities for the third review of the loan programme.
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the inflation clocked in at 7% YoY for Feb’26, the highest since Oct’24. “We expect the SBP to keep its policy rate unchanged at 10.5% in the upcoming meeting as rising global oil prices may add to inflationary pressures,” he said.
Pakistan was exploring options to manage a potential gas shortfall after Qatar Energy halted LNG production following Iran’s attacks. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia assured Pakistan of secure oil supplies through the Port of Yanbu on the Red Sea to help meet energy needs. The government was also reviewing a proposal to shift to weekly revision of petroleum prices from fortnightly reviews, the JS head of research said.
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