Data Centre at Aykley Heads

In January 2025, Durham University was granted planning permission by Durham County Council for a new Data Centre on Plot D at Aykley Heads, Durham City.

The University is currently seeking funding for the project. The development is planned to form part of the wider Durham Innovation District. 

Proposed development

We are seeking to develop a data centre to host data and computing equipment, providing the infrastructure required for IT systems.

The proposed Data Centre at Aykley Heads would house a supercomputer, a highly advanced computing machine designed for exceptionally fast data processing and complex calculations.

The facility would comprise of a data hall housing the supercomputer, a public education space, offices, generators and a delivery bay. The design of the building would be sympathetic to its surroundings, with an attractive modern frontage.

The University is currently seeking funding for the project, as we believe it to have significant potential for the city, county and region.

The Aykley Heads site is owned by Durham County Council and is being developed in a partnership between the Council and the University as a home for data-intensive businesses, creating high-value jobs and helping support the local and regional economy.

The location of a supercomputer at Aykley Heads, together with skills and expertise from the University to help businesses benefit from the power of high-performance computing, would both attract new businesses to Durham and enhance the productivity of existing businesses in the region.

The site and planning history

The Aykley Heads Masterplan was granted outline planning permission for the development of a Business Park with supporting retail and leisure uses in 2021.

This site comprises Plot D of the Aykley Heads Masterplan.

The site is surrounded by trees to the east, south, and west, and an office building to the north – Salvus House. Beyond the immediate setting, Durham Constabulary’s headquarters is to the east, and Durham County Council is to the south. Aykley Heads recreation ground, to the south-east, is designated as green belt land and an Area of Higher Landscape Value within the Local Plan.