Virtus Data Centres to Build 32.5MW Facility on Slough Trading Estate
June 30, 2026
Virtus Data Centres to Build 32.5MW Facility on Slough Trading Estate
UK-based data center operator Virtus Data Centres has announced plans to develop a new facility on the Slough Trading Estate, expanding its footprint in one of Europe’s most constrained data center markets. The project, named London19, will deliver 32.5MW of IT load and is expected to reinforce Virtus’s position as a leading European provider at a time when demand for digital infrastructure continues to surge.
Planning permission for the development has already been secured through the Slough Trading Estate Simplified Planning Zone (SPZ), a designation that streamlines approvals for data center projects. Real estate firm Segro, a long-term partner of Virtus, will develop the powered shell for the facility, with construction set to begin shortly after design approval. The collaboration builds on a relationship that has already yielded multiple projects across the estate.
Virtus’s current UK data center portfolio comprises more than 300MW of operational and committed capacity, and the new development will contribute to that total while incorporating sustainability measures from the outset. The company said London19 will be designed to make its waste heat available to potential offtakers, aiming to benefit the local community and reduce the facility’s environmental footprint.
Adam Eaton, CEO of Virtus Data Centres, stated: “This development builds on our long-standing relationship with Segro and enables us to deliver critical power and IT capacity aligned with customer demand. By embedding sustainability considerations from the outset, including provision for future waste heat utilisation, London19 reflects our focus on delivering flexible, future-ready infrastructure that supports the UK’s digital economy while minimising environmental impact.”
Andrew Pilsworth, managing director of data centers and strategic partnerships at Segro, added: “Virtus is one of Europe’s leading data center operators and we are pleased to be extending our long‑standing relationship through the delivery of this new facility at the Slough Trading Estate. The trading estate has been at the centre of the UK’s data center market for more than 20 years, and the scale of infrastructure, power availability and planning certainty we have established there, alongside a strong focus on sustainability and positive engagement with the local community, continues to support customers like Virtus as they expand in a highly constrained environment.”
The announcement underscores the growing importance of redeveloping established industrial zones to meet surging demand for data center capacity, particularly in the UK’s Southeast, where power availability and planning approvals remain significant bottlenecks. Slough Trading Estate has long been a hub for digital infrastructure, and the SPZ designation provides a rare advantage in a region where new developments often face lengthy permitting processes.
Founded in 2008, Virtus operates 14 data centers across four campuses in Greater London and a fifth in Buckinghamshire, with additional sites under development in Germany and Italy. The company became a wholly-owned subsidiary of STT GDC in 2017, and Macquarie Asset Management acquired a 40 percent stake in the operator in 2023. STT GDC is currently being acquired by KKR and Singtel, a transaction that could reshape the ownership landscape of one of the industry’s key players.
Source: datacenterdynamics
