McLaren's expertise put to test in bid for massive London data centre

It points towards a potential future involvement by McLaren in this project, which affirms its commitment to shaping future digital infrastructural developments and underscores its place among leaders of mission-critical structure builders.

McLaren Construction is poised to take on a significant data centre project in London's Silvertown as the race for the £400 million contract narrows down.

The construction giant is going head-to-head with Mace for this significant development on North Woolwich Road, covering an eight-acre site. This proposed development is commissioned by GLP (formerly known as Gazeley). It intends to develop three significant data centre buildings of up to 65 meters each. The building will occupy 160,000 square meters designated for data centre activities and approximately 6,000 square meters of office space.

Some parts of this site have been derelict since the late 1980s and 1990s, and the developers consider this regeneration project a significant milestone in that direction. GLP has undergone extensive planning and public consultation exercises to ensure that the scheme meets local needs and regulations.

Gary Cramp, McLaren's Regional Managing Director, says it was timed perfectly, considering its strategic focus on data centre projects.

Recently, Gary highlighted how his company was working towards re-skilling its teams and supply chain partners exclusively for data centre projects. Although historically London-bound with around 80% market share, signs indicate the UK's two-decade-long monopoly over the nation's data centre market could be expanding into northern areas.

McLaren's expertise comes from years of experience delivering complex schemes for major blue-chip clients in this sector, including Barclays Bank Data Centers. They've developed a team with established trade sub-contractors and specialist supply chain partners who have all worked together on similar large-scale projects, such as those involving sophisticated raised-floor computer room environments.

Data centres are different because they require greater energy efficiency, resilience, and uptime. On budget and within time constraints, McLaren has successfully met these requirements before. This encompasses selecting and managing cost-effective and energy-efficient systems such as power generation, UPS, cooling systems, fire protection systems, data network installations, and security facilities.

Digital infrastructure is increasingly in demand as businesses migrate to the cloud and adopt hybrid or remote working models. This growing dependence on digital technology necessitates more robust data processing and storage capabilities. McLaren is aware of this trend and thus aims to be a significant player in supporting digital-age infrastructure.

While the final contract decision has not yet been made, insiders believe the site could begin seeing activity this year. This project provides another opportunity for McLaren to assert its position within the industry concerning data centre construction and assist in bringing essential digital infrastructures into London.