New data centre opens in £500m Manchester regeneration zone

Datum Datacentres has officially launched MCR2, its newest state-of-the-art data centre in Manchester, marking a significant milestone for both the company and the region’s £500 million regeneration initiative.

The ribbon was cut by Councillor Emma Taylor (Labour Councillor for the Sharston Ward in Wythenshawe) at the opening ceremony, and the event was attended by distinguished guests, including members of Manchester City Council, who collaborated closely with Datum throughout the project.

Their joint efforts ensured the facility aligns with the goals of Wythenshawe’s ongoing regeneration, creating a cutting-edge resource to support the community’s sustainable growth and innovation.

Matt Edgley, COO at Datum Datacentres, said: “We are thrilled to have officially opened MCR2. From the outset, our vision for MCR2 was to set new standards in operational resilience and reliability, while embedding sustainability at its core. This facility stands as a testament to our commitment to fostering positive social and environmental change, supporting the local economy and playing an active role in the regeneration of Wythenshawe.”

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MCR2 was built in direct response to Manchester’s rapidly growing demand for resilient, high-quality data centre infrastructure. The new facility provides capacity for up to 1,200 racks, each capable of up to 30kW power delivery on dual circuits, supported by 2N level resilience. MCR2 offers a leading design PUE of 1.25, a 100% power availability SLA, and an advanced focus on sustainability, security, and operational excellence. Security is further bolstered by the inclusion of an on-site police-linked Alarm Receiving Centre and the site’s NSI Gold certification (BS5979 SOC).

Councillor Taylor added: “Data centres are a critical part of our data infrastructure in Manchester and, as anchors for investment, play a really important part in supporting local growth. This multimillion pound investment by Datum really demonstrates the confidence in the region, and I’m really excited for what the future holds. As someone who grew up just metres from the site of what is now MCR2, I’d like to thank the team at Datum for bringing a bit of life back into the fringes of Wythenshawe town centre.”

Datum’s trusted design and construction partner, Keysource, delivered a facility that matches the highest possible standards in design, construction, and sustainability to support Datum’s mission.

Jon Healy, managing director at Keysource, a Salute company, added: “It’s been great to deliver on another successful project with Datum Datacentres. We set out to challenge the status quo and drive the highest possible standards across the project design, construction and sustainability. Collaboration between Datum and Keysource has been at the fore to deliver on key business drivers and is testament to our talented people involved. We look forward to the next project.”

The launch of MCR2 further cements Datum Datacentres’ commitment to delivering data centre infrastructure that supports digital transformation, economic growth, and sustainability in Manchester and beyond.

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