Microsoft Acquires Additional 37.5 Hectares of Land in Middenmeer, Netherlands, for Potential Data Center Expansion

Microsoft has further strengthened its land portfolio in the Netherlands by purchasing a 37.5-hectare (92.6-acre) plot of agricultural land near Middenmeer in North Holland, signaling potential future data center development in the region. The transaction, valued at €44 million ($50 million), was completed in June, according to Dutch land registry data reviewed by local publication NRC.

The newly acquired site sits adjacent to land where European grid operator Tennet is planning to build a new substation, a critical piece of infrastructure for powering large-scale computing facilities. Microsoft’s latest purchase adds to its existing landholdings in the area; the company had already acquired 50 hectares of land in September 2025, located next to its AMS13/14 campus in the municipality of Hollands Kroon. That existing campus, which received construction permission in April 2023, currently comprises two hyperscale facilities, with two additional data halls already commissioned and plans for six more, according to NRC.

Despite the significant land acquisition, Microsoft told NRC that there are currently no immediate plans to build a data center on the property, but added, "It would be nice if we could ever develop on it," hinting at long-term intentions. A spokesperson for the Municipality of Hollands Kroon noted that the land is currently zoned as "agricultural - greenhouse horticulture" and that no applications have been submitted to change the zoning code. Any future development would require a formal rezoning process.

The move underscores Microsoft’s deep commitment to the Dutch market. In its latest annual report, Microsoft’s Dutch subsidiary, Microsoft Datacenter Netherlands BV, disclosed that the company had invested just under €12.5 billion ($14.21 billion) in its data centers and cloud infrastructure in the country as of mid-2025. This investment aligns with broader trends of hyperscale cloud providers securing land and power capacity years in advance to meet growing demand for cloud and AI services.

Separately, European grid operator Tennet is advancing a 380kV transmission line project in the region, which includes two new substations, one of which is planned directly adjacent to Microsoft’s recent land purchase. This power infrastructure could prove vital for any future data center development. Meanwhile, Microsoft is also set to become a customer of PureDC’s Amsterdam facility, currently under construction. The expansion has not gone unnoticed by activists; Extinction Rebellion recently protested at the PureDC construction site, throwing water balloons filled with "hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, salt, and acrylic paint" onto the premises.