It’s just the first step for a much bigger vision, says Blackpool BID.
Major tech investment is coming to Blackpool, and the knock-on benefits for our town centre, retail, and tourism businesses could be huge, say Blackpool BID.
Blackpool Council has named HOCHTIEF Data Centre Partner UK as preferred concessionaire for Phase 1 of the flagship Silicon Sands project, a green digital campus at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.
The decision follows a competitive procurement process under the Procurement Act 2023, with the council confirming HOCHTIEF submitted the most advantageous tender.
The appointment is currently subject to a mandatory standstill period and final governance approvals before the contract is formally awarded.
What’s being built
Phase 1 centres on an energy-efficient data centre – around 6MW of capacity – alongside office and research space, delivered as a concession contract on a 250-year lease, with an estimated value of £250m (around £300m including VAT). Crucially, the investment, construction, and running costs will be met entirely by the private sector, building on land assembly work already carried out by Blackpool Council and the Lancashire Combined County Authority.
It’s just the first step for a much bigger vision, says Blackpool BID. The wider Silicon Sands masterplan covers a 40–50 acre campus north of Blackpool Airport, designed to attract AI, advanced manufacturing, gaming, financial services, medical technology, and other high-performance computing businesses. The site will draw on renewable power – including a planned solar farm, battery storage, and a new primary substation – with excess heat from the data centre feeding into a proposed local heat network.
Blackpool’s location gives the project a unique edge: the Blackpool Airport site sits on the North Atlantic Loop subsea cable route, offering some of the fastest transatlantic data connectivity in the UK.
Why this matters for Blackpool BID businesses
🔹 Year-round footfall: Thousands of new high-value tech jobs mean strong, 12-month local spend for lunch spots, shops, and town centre services, helping smooth out the seasonal peaks and troughs our sector knows well.
🔹 Business tourism boost: As digital and AI firms establish a presence, expect a rise in corporate travel, conferences, and mid-week hotel stays — exactly the kind of off-peak trade that strengthens hospitality year-round.
🔹 Local confidence: A £250m+ vote of confidence in Blackpool sends a clear signal to investors, making the town even more attractive for further leisure and hospitality investment.
Councillor Mark Smith, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for economy and built environment, called Silicon Sands “a transformational opportunity not just for Blackpool but for Lancashire as a whole, with the potential to create thousands of well-paid jobs and establish the region as a leader in sustainable digital infrastructure.”
The bigger picture
Blackpool isn’t just Britain’s favourite seaside resort – it’s fast becoming a UK hub for green digital innovation.
As Silicon Sands moves from procurement to delivery, Blackpool BID will continue to track the project closely and keep our members informed on opportunities to benefit as the campus takes shape.
