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Wednesday 1st July 2026
The Ebbsfleet AI Data Centre Campus will be one of the first data centre projects to follow the UK’s Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) planning regime
Clearstone has revealed details of a new 300MW AI Data Centre Campus development near Dartford, on the borders of London and Kent. The campus is designed to meet growing demand from data centre operators and their enterprise customers for AI-ready digital infrastructure in and around London. The proposed site spans 145 acres and is located adjacent to the HS1 railway line and A2 motorway, 2km south of Ebbsfleet International train station.
The location has been chosen due to its ability to provide the land, power, high-speed connectivity and talent pool needed to deliver the next generation of AI-based applications. Power will be delivered through a connection to the UK’s electricity transmission network, owned and operated by National Grid. Data centre campus buildings are expected to have a footprint of 60,000 sqm, and the development will take a modular approach to delivering compute capacity, with infrastructure split across a number of buildings. Clearstone is targeting an operational start date of 2030.
Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project
The Ebbsfleet AI Data Centre Campus would deliver significant local and national economic benefits, and Clearstone applied to the Government in May 2026 for a direction under section 35 of the Planning Act 2008 to enable the project to be consented under the NSIP regime. This is the UK planning system for decision-making on large-scale, strategically important developments.
Direction was given by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 1st July 2026. The decision means the Project will be treated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP), requiring a Development Consent Order (DCO).
Local economic benefits
In addition to driving national economic growth through the development and adoption of AI-based services, economic modelling undertaken by Fortia Insight has forecast that the site has the potential to generate significant local benefits.
Over the 3-year build period, an average of 750 workers is expected to be required on site each year, including local recruitment of up to 650 workers relative to availability. There is then expected to be a further 420 net additional on-site jobs once the campus is operational, including operation and maintenance teams and auxiliary services such as security and cleaning roles.
Community Engagement
Local stakeholders, including Kent County Council, Dartford Borough Council, local residents and town and parish councils, are important consultees in the NSIP planning process, and Clearstone is committed to engaging the local community as the proposals for the Ebbsfleet AI Data Centre Campus Project progress.
Clearstone is currently undertaking preliminary site surveys. The first round of public consultation will take place in Autumn 2026 through a series of Co:design community workshops that will shape initial design work. A full public consultation on draft proposals will take place in 2027.
Project Team with deep data centre expertise
For the Ebbsfleet AI data centre campus project, Clearstone is working with a group of partners with deep expertise in the data centre sector to ensure that this cutting-edge project is
delivered effectively, efficiently, and responsibly. Gensler is a global architecture, design, and planning firm that has designed large-scale data centres in the UK, US and China. AECOM is a global infrastructure and engineering consultancy. The firm has a strong and growing presence in the UK data centre market, delivering planning, environmental, and construction management services.
About Clearstone
Clearstone is a UK infrastructure developer specialising in next-generation, grid-connected infrastructure. Our projects include large-scale energy projects that are powering the energy transition and data centres that will underpin the fourth industrial revolution.
Clearstone Energy leads in utility-scale solar farms and transmission-connected battery energy storage systems (BESS), delivering low-carbon electricity for a resilient UK energy future.
Clearstone Data focuses on the digital infrastructure that harnesses this energy to power digital services integral to modern life.
