Insight Type: Press

Supporting a local code club in Wythenshawe

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The donation

10 June 2026, Manchester, UK – Datum Datacentres has announced its support for a local STEM code club based in the IT suite at the Forum Library in Wythenshawe. As part of an ongoing commitment to create opportunities for the local community, the colocation provider has donated eight iPad Air 5th Generation tablets to help children aged 9 to 12 develop foundational computer science skills as part of their introduction to broader STEM (Science Technology Engineering Maths) learning.

The code club

The code club focuses on learning programming skills in a fun and engaging way, introducing young students to some of the most relevant and rapidly expanding fields in modern technology. This includes honing the digital skills young people need to thrive in today’s online world, like the concepts of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The curriculum accommodates various learning styles and commitment levels. It offers a mixture of drop-in taster sessions where attendees can complete a project within a single visit, as well as continuous projects for those who want to dive deeper and work on more complex challenges.

About Datum

Datum Datacentres operates two main sites in the UK, including a Farnborough campus comprising the flagship FRN1 and the currently under-construction FRN2 data centres. The company also maintains a significant presence in the north west with MCR1 and the newly constructed MCR2 data centre on an ultra-secure campus site in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Due to Datum’s location at the heart of the Wythenshawe community, the company feels a strong responsibility to generate positive outcomes for the people who live in the surrounding area.

By investing in grassroots technology education, Datum aims to support the broader Manchester tech hub by nurturing future professionals. Code club tutor Liam Cookson welcomed the new equipment and partnership and said: “We’re pleased to have the support of an important local player in the tech industry.”

Kerry Quinn, Manager of People & Office Operations at Datum Datacentres, explained the motivation behind the partnership:

“We value our role within the local community in Wythenshawe and are pleased to be supporting such a worthwhile project. Technical digital skills are becoming increasingly important so it’s excellent to see that a cohort of potential new talent is being shaped so young.”

Media contact

Renie Shaw
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk
T: +44 (0)333 202 3195

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Mike Kane MP visits Datum's Manchester site

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The visit

Manchester, July 22, 2025 – Mike Kane MP, Member of Parliament for Wythenshawe and Sale East, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, recently visited Datum Datacentres’ newly constructed MCR2 data centre in Manchester. Datum’s latest data centre is the first completed construction project in the ambitious £500 million regeneration plan for Wythenshawe. Mr Kane toured the facility, learning about its role in shaping local regeneration and its contribution to supporting businesses across Manchester.

MCR2's role in Wythenshawe's regeneration

Mr Kane, who himself has lifelong ties to the area, expressed a keen interest in the transformative impact MCR2 will have on the region, and was keen to understand its role in driving local regeneration and supporting businesses throughout Manchester. Alongside fostering growth among its future tenants, the construction process emphasised the employment of local contractors wherever feasible. This strategy aimed to strengthen the local economy while reflecting the project’s dedication to minimising environmental impact.

Our sustainability standards

During a tour of the facility, Mr Kane was shown how MCR2 exemplifies environmentally sustainable design. As part of the construction process, Datum conducted a voluntary carbon impact assessment and integrated numerous sustainability measures, including the installation of highly efficient free cooling systems to minimise environmental impact and the incorporation of heat exchange technology to support local community heating initiatives. The site’s backup generators run on environmentally friendly Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) instead of red diesel.

With a design PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of just 1.25, MCR2 sets a leading standard in energy efficiency. Its data halls are built to accommodate a wide range of clients – from SMEs to large enterprises – offering flexible power density options and robust IT infrastructure support. The ultra-secure site includes advanced security measures, including police-linked on-site facilities, ensuring optimal data protection and connectivity.

A catalyst for growth

MCR2 is poised to play a pivotal role in driving regional economic growth and attracting enterprise activity to Manchester. Its successful completion not only represents a significant achievement in sustainable development but also opens new opportunities for businesses across diverse industries.

Media contact

Renie Shaw  
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk  
T: 0333 202 3195  

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Datum officially launches MCR2, its second Manchester data centre

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Unveiling MCR2

1 July 2025, Manchester, UK – 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 well-attended opening ceremony took place on Thursday, 26 June and celebrated the completion of the almost two-year construction project, signalling a major boost for Manchester’s position as a leading UK tech hub.

The inauguration

The ribbon was cut by Councillor Emma Taylor (Labour Councillor for the Sharston Ward), 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.

Introducing MCR2

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).

Excellence in design and construction

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.

Sustainable data centre infrastructure

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.

Media contact

Renie Shaw  
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk  
T: 0333 202 3195  

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Datum shortlisted for two data centre review excellence awards

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Celebrating MCR2 recognition

2 April 2025, Manchester, UK – Datum Datacentres, a provider of enterprise grade colocation solutions, has been shortlisted in two categories at this year’s Data Centre Review Excellence Awards for its soon-to-be-completed Manchester facility, MCR2. Situated in Wythenshawe, this state-of-the-art facility is the first major construction project as part of the area’s £500 million regeneration initiative. Once complete, the MCR2 data centre will offer up to 1,200 rack footprints supporting loads of up to 30kW per rack on dual circuits, providing 2N level of resilience.

Shortlist categories

The categories in which Datum is shortlisted highlight the company’s commitment to innovation and environmental responsibility within the data centre industry:

  • Sustainable Project of the Year: MCR2 has been designed with in-built heat reuse capability. Once implemented, the recovered heat produced by the data centre can be utilised to support a planned housing development of 700-1,500 dwellings in the surrounding area.
  • Data Centre Design Project of the Year: this nomination focuses on Datum’s efforts to reduce the facility’s environmental impact from the design stage onwards. This includes an embodied carbon assessment, flood management via an attenuation tank, the use of 100% renewable energy, PV solar panels, and HVO biofuel in backup generators.

Media contact

Renie Shaw  
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk  
T: 0333 202 3195  

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Datum welcomes Manchester City Council to MRC2 site as project nears completion

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The visit

Datum, a leading provider of sustainable data centre solutions, recently welcomed representatives from Manchester City Council to its MCR2 site in Wythenshawe for an inspection of its soon-to-be-completed data centre facility. Set to open its doors in Q2 2025, MCR2 represents the first tangible step in Wythenshawe’s £500m regeneration initiative with the aim to revitalise the area and boost local employment.

Construction progress at the Manchester tech hub

The visit showcased the significant progress made on this state-of-the-art data centre, which will serve as a critical asset in driving economic growth and innovation, whilst creating long-term opportunities across the region; an important UK tech hub.

MCR2 has been built to enterprise grade standards, providing 24,000 sq ft of technical space, and up to 1,200 racks distributed across multiple data halls. The carrier-neutral facility is built to a minimum Tier 3+ standard, and guarantees redundancy of 2N UPS at every rack position.

Data centre sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of MCR2’s design, both during its construction and throughout its operational lifespan. Powered entirely by renewable energy, and including solar PV roof panels and HVO biofuels for backup generators, the facility minimises its carbon footprint while delivering maximum reliability. A highly efficient chilled water-cooling system employs free cooling technology to reduce overall power consumption, water usage, and environmental impact. The data centre is also heat exchange-ready, paving the way for potential contributions of waste heat to local community heat networks.

The MCR2 project also prioritised eco-conscious construction methods. An older building was replaced with a modern, energy-efficient replacement, and materials were sourced locally wherever possible. Waste from demolition was carefully recycled, while biodiversity plans were incorporated to preserve and restore the local ecosystem.

About Datum Datacentres

Datum Datacentres provides enterprise grade colocation through its network of sustainable, carrier neutral data centres. A platform for digital transformation, the firm works with its ecosystem of partners to provide solutions that support long-term business growth whilst helping clients to achieve their ESG goals. Backed by UBS Asset Management, Datum acquired Manchester data centre provider, Teledata, in 2022. The Datum Group’s data centre portfolio consists of two built and operational data centres (FRN1 in Farnborough and MCR1 in Manchester) with two further facilities in the pipeline (FRN2 and MCR2). The firm’s secure and resilient facilities are trusted by an impressive and growing client list of organisations from the private and public sectors, serving vertical markets from finance and insurance through IT security services, defence, and engineering, and including companies from the FTSE 250 and Fortune 500.   

Media contact

Renie Shaw  
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk  
T: 0333 202 3195  

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Strong start to the year for Datum Datacentres

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FY24 half year results

06 August 2024, Farnborough – Datum Datacentres, a sustainable enterprise grade data centre and colocation provider with facilities in Farnborough and Manchester, has reported record FY24 half year results with sales at 4.1% ahead of budget and revenue just 2% behind budget at £8.0 Million, following a period of investment and growth.

The results

This comes following Datum’s acquisition of Manchester-based colocation data centre, Teledata, in 2022 and the announcement earlier this year of a £30 Million investment into a brand new purpose built data centre facility which is currently under construction in South Manchester.

The new data centre facility is being designed so that heat exchangers can be used to transfer the thermal load of the data centre cooling loop to a local community heating network via a heat pump system, which will also reduce the amount of energy needed to deliver the required data centre cooling operation. The facility will be powered using clean energy from renewable sources and solar PV roof panels. The PV system will generate over 83,000 kWh/yr with a CO2 emissions reduction of over 7.4 tonnes annually.

Datum also expanded its Farnborough data centre site last year with the opening of Hall 4. Part of a £7 million investment, hall 4 provides 380 rack positions, a cooling infrastructure with N+1 resilience, and a power infrastructure with 2N resilience.
The firm has also welcomed three new team members so far in 2024.

About Datum

Datum Datacentres provides enterprise grade colocation through its network of sustainable, carrier neutral data centres. A platform for digital transformation, the firm works with its ecosystem of partners to provide solutions that support long-term business growth whilst helping clients to achieve their ESG goals. Backed by UBS Asset Management, Datum acquired Manchester data centre provider, Teledata, in 2022. The Datum Group’s data centre portfolio consists of two built and operational data centres (FRN1 in Farnborough and MCR1 in Manchester) with two further facilities in the pipeline (FRN2 and MCR2). The firm’s secure and resilient facilities are trusted by an impressive and growing client list of organisations from the private and public sectors, serving vertical markets from finance and insurance through IT security services, defence, and engineering, and including companies from the FTSE 250 and Fortune 500.   

Media contact:  

Renie Shaw  
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk  
T: 0333 202 3195  
 

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Secrets and best practice of secure data centre management (FM Director)

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When FM Director visited our Farnborough data centre

Our Farnborough facility was visited by a publication journalist from from FM Director back in May 2024. Together with three people from Keysource, Datum’s south east Data Centre Manager, Ian Mace, ran a tour of our facility and answered their questions about the business and sustainability of data centres.

FM Director have published their article under the intriguing title of ‘secrets and best practice of secure data centre management’.

Read whole FM Director article
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Datum partners with Bryt Energy - 100% renewable electricity for its data centres

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The announcement

18 April 2024, Farnborough – Datum Datacentres, a sustainable enterprise grade data centre and colocation provider with facilities in Farnborough and Manchester, has partnered with Bryt Energy to provide zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity for its facilities.

About Bryt Energy

Bryt Energy, part of the Statkraft group – a leading international hydropower company and Europe’s largest generator of renewable energy – is a zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity supplier to British businesses (compared to the UK average of 40.8% of electricity from renewable sources).

The firm’s zero carbon, 100% renewable fuel mix currently comprises 76.4% from wind power, 21.2% from solar power, and 2.4% from hydro power. Bryt Energy’s products have been audited and verified by an independent third party, EcoAct, who have certified that their electricity supply is backed by guarantee of origin certificates (REGOs). This means that Datum Datacentres can report its electricity consumption (Scope 2) as zero carbon under the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol market-based method.

These REGOs demonstrate that Datum has procured renewable electricity to match its consumption volumes supplied via the National Grid transmission network and local distribution networks. This is currently the only official method for recognising renewable electricity supply in the UK, as mandated and operated by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – and Ofgem.

The partnership

Datum Datacentres provides enterprise grade colocation through its network of sustainable, carrier neutral data centres. A platform for digital transformation, the firm works with its ecosystem of partners to provide solutions that support long-term business growth whilst helping clients to achieve their ESG goals. Datum is backed by UBS Asset Management after being acquired by UBS Asset Management (UBS-AM) Real Estate & Private Markets (REPM) in 2021.

Part of the Statkraft group, Bryt Energy provides British businesses with zero carbon, 100% renewable electricity, sourced solely from solar, wind and hydro power. Through pioneering products and services, they empower businesses to create value from their electricity usage by optimising their consumption and challenging the way they interact with the electricity system.

About Datum Datacentres

Datum Datacentres provides enterprise grade colocation through its network of sustainable, carrier neutral data centres. A platform for digital transformation, the firm works with its ecosystem of partners to provide solutions that support long-term business growth whilst helping clients to achieve their ESG goals. Backed by UBS Asset Management, Datum acquired Manchester data centre provider, Teledata, in 2022. The Datum Group’s data centre portfolio consists of two built and operational data centres (FRN1 in Farnborough and MCR1 in Manchester) with two further facilities in the pipeline (FRN2 and MCR2). The firm’s secure and resilient facilities are trusted by an impressive and growing client list of organisations from the private and public sectors, serving vertical markets from finance and insurance through IT security services, defence, and engineering, and including companies from the FTSE 250 and Fortune 500.  

www.datum.co.uk

Media contact:
Renie Shaw 
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk 
T: 0333 202 3195 

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Councillor Akbar visits site of new data centre development in Wythenshawe

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The new data centre facility

Datum Datacentres, formerly Teledata, is investing £30 Million into a new data centre facility which will harness heat re-use capabilities to support the local community. The site was visited by Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Finance and Resources at Manchester City Council, and Labour Member for Rusholme Ward. Also present were Matt Edgley (Chief Operating Officer for Datum Datacentres) and Andrew Morris (Managing Director and Head of Infrastructure Equity at UBS Asset Management, who acquired Datum Datacentres in 2021.

About the new data centre facility

26 March 2024, Manchester – Datum Datacentres welcomed Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Finance and Resources at Manchester City Council and Labour Member for Rusholme Ward, to the site of the firm’s new facility in Wythenshawe. The £30 Million project will see Datum build a new data centre which will harness the waste heat that is created by the facility for conditioning, reuse and delivery to local projects in the Wythenshawe area.

The new data centre will be situated in the heart of the Wythenshawe Civic Centre which is earmarked for regeneration. Joined by techUK earlier this month, the firm hosted a round table event which saw industry representatives from across Manchester come together with council members to discuss the important role that data centres play in the tech ecosystem, the opportunities provided by data centres for Manchester and how the sector can support new industries in the North West’s digital economy.

Sustainability initiatives

The new data centre (MCR2) is being developed next door to Datum’s existing Manchester facility and the most up to date sustainability best practices and standards are being embedded across all parts of the build process, from design to implementation.

The system is being designed so that heat exchangers can be used to transfer the thermal load of the data centre cooling loop to a local community heating network via a heat pump system, which will also reduce the amount of energy needed to deliver the required data centre cooling operation.

The facility will be powered using clean energy from renewable sources with green certificates and solar PV roof panels. The PV system will generate over 83,000 kWh/yr with a CO2 emissions reduction of over 7.4 tonnes annually.

Datum's financial backing

Datum is backed by UBS Asset Management after being acquired by UBS Asset Management (UBS-AM) Real Estate & Private Markets (REPM) in 2021. Providing sustainable, enterprise grade colocation to businesses across the UK through its network of purpose-built, highly secure, highly connected carrier neutral data centres, Datum works to support the responsible long-term growth of its clients.

About Datum Datacentres

Datum Datacentres provides enterprise grade colocation through its network of sustainable, carrier neutral data centres. A platform for digital transformation, the firm works with its ecosystem of partners to provide solutions that support long-term business growth whilst helping clients to achieve their ESG goals. Backed by UBS Asset Management, Datum acquired Manchester data centre provider, Teledata, in 2022. The Datum Group’s data centre portfolio consists of two built and operational data centres (FRN1 in Farnborough and MCR1 in Manchester) with two further facilities in the pipeline (FRN2 and MCR2). The firm’s secure and resilient facilities are trusted by an impressive and growing client list of organisations from the private and public sectors, serving vertical markets from finance and insurance through IT security services, defence, and engineering, and including companies from the FTSE 250 and Fortune 500.
www.datum.co.uk

Media contact:
Renie Shaw
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk
T: 0333 202 3195

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Heat re-use at Datum's Manchester site

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Datum is harnessing heat re-use capabilities in the development of its new Manchester data centre as part of project to maximise efficiencies and uphold ESG principles.

Datum has announced that its new Manchester data centre is being developed with heat re-use capabilities as part of the company’s wider sustainability strategy. The scheme will see the new facility harness waste heat for conditioning, reuse and delivery to local projects in the Wythenshawe area of Manchester.

The system is being designed so that heat exchangers can be used to transfer the thermal load of the data centre cooling loop to a local community heating network via a heat pump system, which will also reduce the amount of energy needed to deliver the required data centre cooling operation, therefore providing a double benefit. The new facility is targeting a PUE of 1.2.

The new data centre (MCR2) is being developed next door to Datum’s existing Manchester facility and the most up to date sustainability best practices and standards are being embedded across all parts of the build process, from design to implementation.

The facility will be powered using clean energy from renewable sources with green certificates and solar PV roof panels. The PV system will generate over 83,000 kWh/yr with a CO2 emissions reduction of over 7.4 tonnes annually. A chilled water-cooling system with free cooling technology will be adopted and renewable HVO (hydrogenated vegetable oil) biofuels will fuel the emergency generators. The new data centre has been specifically designed to handle an external ambient temperature of 40+°C, to help mitigate climate change risks related to extreme heat.

The new site involves demolishing an existing building and designing a newer, more modern, energy efficient facility. This was determined to be the most environmentally efficient solution to support expansion. During construction, materials will be sourced from local suppliers wherever possible. The works will avoid nighttime and high traffic hours to minimise noise impact. The waste management program will ensure that all waste from the demolished building is handled efficiently and recycled where possible. The project also includes a biodiversity plan to protect nature and reverse the degradation of ecosystems.

The project is expected to support jobs for 15 full time employees including suppliers, and the data centre facility will offer over 50,000 sq ft of enterprise-grade colocation space with 2N power redundancy, 100% 24/7 uptime, ISO27001 certification and NSI Gold Approved BS5979 security.

About Datum

Datum Datacentres provides enterprise grade colocation through its network of sustainable, carrier neutral data centres. A platform for digital transformation, the firm works with its ecosystem of partners to provide solutions that support long-term business growth whilst helping clients to achieve their ESG goals. Backed by UBS Asset Management, Datum acquired Manchester data centre provider, Teledata, in 2022. The Datum Group’s data centre portfolio consists of two built and operational data centres (FRN1 in Farnborough and MCR1 in Manchester) with two further facilities in the pipeline (FRN2 and MCR2). The firm’s secure and resilient facilities are trusted by an impressive and growing client list of organisations from the private and public sectors, serving vertical markets from finance and insurance through IT security services, defence, and engineering, and including companies from the FTSE 250 and Fortune 500.

Media contact:
Renie Shaw
Marketing Manager
irene.shaw@datum.co.uk
T: 0333 202 3195

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