Phase 1 - Silicon Sands Campus

Blackpool Council is procuring a third-party concessionaire to: (i) invest, develop and operate an exemplar data centre (together with ancillary office accommodation); and (ii) to connect the heat generated from the data centre to a proposed local heat network within the Silicon Sands site at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.

Blackpool Council believes that by enabling the development of new digital infrastructure, major economic and social benefits can accrue, bringing significant skilled employment and educational opportunities for the local population and encouraging inward investment and growth in high-tech companies, including start-ups operating in AI systems, making Blackpool competitive in the digital economy.

Blackpool Council is procuring a concession contract for the purposes of section 3(4) and section 8 of the Procurement Act 2023.

The land will be made available on a 250 yearlong lease. Note: Find a Tender only allows recording of contract end dates up to 2099