AWS moves forward with plans for new data centre in Buckinghamshire

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is advancing plans for a new two-storey data centre at the Ridgeway Trading Estate in Iver, Buckinghamshire, as part of its wider investment in UK digital infrastructure.

The application, submitted to Buckinghamshire Council, outlines the demolition of existing buildings and redevelopment of the site to create a purpose-built data centre. The facility will include data halls on two floors, office and meeting space, and a range of supporting infrastructure such as substation and generator compounds, sprinkler systems, security structures, and dedicated parking for vehicles and cycles.

The site, located approximately 6km west of Slough, lies adjacent to the Grand Union Canal and falls within the Colne Valley Park. While not within the Green Belt, the surrounding area includes residential, industrial and agricultural land.

The two-storey design has been led by MCA Architects, a Dublin-based practice with experience delivering complex technological and data centre projects across Europe. The proposals emphasise efficient land use, reduced building footprint, and high levels of operational efficiency. The development also incorporates landscaping around the perimeter, helping to soften its visual impact and integrate it with the canal corridor and wider setting.

The main data hall building has been designed to balance scale and massing, with architectural elements such as profiled aluminium framing and ribbon glazing used to break up the façade and reduce visual dominance. Air intake louvres and other technical features are grouped and detailed in line with the building’s overall design strategy.

The Iver development is part of Amazon’s wider £40 billion investment programme in the UK, which includes new fulfilment centres, delivery hubs and corporate offices. AWS expects this new data centre to contribute an estimated £14 billion to UK GDP through to 2028 and support over 14,000 full-time equivalent jobs annually across construction, engineering, telecoms and associated supply chain sectors.

The site was selected based on strategic infrastructure considerations, including access to sufficient power and fibre connectivity. The application also reflects the UK Government’s 2024 classification of data centres as Critical National Infrastructure and its ‘Invest 2035’ strategy, which identifies long-term infrastructure investment as central to future economic resilience.

Pending planning approval, the application says the facility would strengthen the UK’s digital capacity, particularly in the South East, where demand for high-specification data infrastructure continues to grow.