UK classes data centres as critical infrastructure as investment grows

Alongside that announcement it is also talking up a new, multi-billion-pound investment – private, not public – in what it claims will be Europe's largest data centre when it is built in Hertfordshire, but that facility is not likely to be up and running any time soon...and frankly it has little to do with the critical infrastructure designation.

Specifically, the data centre space is now classed as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) alongside the likes of the energy and water sectors. This is the first CNI designation in almost a decade, the previous additions to the list having been the space and defence sectors in 2015. As such, it is attracting a fair amount of attention.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) says that the award of CNI status to the data centre space demonstrates the importance of the sector to the current government, although it's worth noting that the idea of doing so was first floated by the previous administration. Nonetheless, DSIT is keen to point out that the new Prime Minister is committed to ensuring the security and stability of the UK data centre industry.

Ultimately, that's what the CNI designation is all about. It is designed to ensure that data processed by and housed in UK data centres is less vulnerable to outages, cyber attacks and other threats, such as extreme weather.

The sector will get greater government support, both in terms of anticipating critical incidents and in recovering from them. Part of this will be the establishment of a dedicated team of senior government officials to monitor potential threats, provide priority access to security agencies like the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and coordinate access to the emergency services.

The NCSC naturally backed the move.

Our critical national infrastructure is a high-priority target for cyber attackers," said Felicity Oswald, chief executive of the NCSC on social media platform X.

"I welcome today's move to designate data centres as CNI, acknowledging the essential role their services play driving forward our economy and society," she said. "CNI organisations must have a high level of security to combat the cyber threats they face and the NCSC will continue working hand in hand with operators to bolster their online resilience."

The government insists that this additional layer of security will encourage investment in the sector. Indeed, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle described a new £3.75 billion plan for a sizeable data centre in Hertfordshire as "a vote of confidence in those plans and a clear example of my determination to ensure technological advancements are helping to grow our economy and create wealth across the country." But aside from the timing of the two announcements, it's actually hard to see any kind of cause and effect here.

Kyle was referring to the fact that an outfit dubbed DC01UK has submitted a planning application to Hertsmere Borough Council for the construction of the aforementioned data centre, purportedly Europe's biggest. And the government is clearly keen to align itself to the proposal – which was doubtless conceived well before the July general election – waxing lyrical over its promise to create 700 local jobs.

But a closer look at DC01UK's plans shows that this data centre is not likely to start operations any time soon.

DC01UK aims to secure planning approval early next year, but is not looking to start building until 2027 with an indicative launch date of 2029. Oh, and 500 of those 700 new jobs will be linked to the construction of the site. The centre itself will employ around 200 people.

That's not to pick holes in what looks set to be a valuable addition to UK tech. However, its link to the CNI designation and the government's overall support of the data centre space looks tenuous.

Nonetheless, the move to add data centres to the CNI can only be positive, regardless of whether it has any bearing on investment in the sector.