December 19, 2025 by Matt Seaton

London East Phase 3 Development Update 5

With focus turning back to Phase 3 in Q4, following the completion of Phase 2 in Q3, we have some updates to relay as the build schedule for Data Halls 5 and 6 begins to gain traction again.

Development work continues to see a certain level of distribution across both the operational side of the facility, as well as the new expansion. Despite Phase 2 now being complete with the onlining of Data Hall 3, we had an additional works list for the active side of London East, which will see the improvement of various functions and features throughout the facility.

Let’s get straight to the updates for Phase 3:

Exterior — The new perimeter fencing and associated access routes have seen lots of progression since the end of the summer

Fencing — Here we see the turnstile installed for the first time, ahead of access control implementation in the new expansion space

Entry U5 — The new gate is now hung ahead of automation, and the full perimeter has had its razor wire fitted along the top to match that of the existing perimeter

Access Control — The access control systems are being deployed in the front of the new footprint, which will ultimately control the entry and exit process on this side of the facility

This elevated view shows the full extent of the London East footprint, following the successful integration of Unit 7 into Netwise control

Door Openings — The new door openings across the facility have seen progression, but remain in a ‘roughed-in’ state in non-technical spaces

Walls — In the new office and meeting room area of the expansion footprint, first fix adjustments have begun to enable certain areas to be refinished, in keeping with their new use case

Wall — The main sound insulating wall is approaching initial completion here

Breach — This area will be the new staff breakout and kitchen area, sitting between the new NOC space and the offices / meeting room

Warehouse — The racking in the new warehouse / loading bay in now complete, and is primarily used to store materials ahead of their eventual requirement as part of the build project

Flooring — Various materials are now being distributed across the facility – the raised floor materials for Data Hall 5 have now landed in the hall to acclimate ahead of installation

Elec — Some of the new electrical boards have started landing ready for deployment in time

We’re naturally very pleased to see progress pick back up on the Unit 5 expansion project (Phase 3), given that this had to take a backseat during the close-out of Phase 2.

In the early stages of 2026, the build schedule will move more firmly back towards technical works, as containment will begin flowing in ahead of the main flood-cabling action.

Supplementary works on the active side of the facility

In addition to the main build phases / schedules, we’ve spent time on

Earthing — Alongside the continuation of works for the Unit 5 expansion, we’ve also had additional second-path earth deployed on the existing backup gen-sets

Reception — The main client reception has seen adjustments to the check in area, to streamline the arrivals process ahead of some procedure changes landing in the new year

Signage — We’ve added to the building-wide way finding and fire exit route signage, with more to come in 2026

We’re also happy to leak some preview shots of our new customer portal, which is under development and will be launching in 2026. This is something that’s been in the works for a while, a collaboration between our own team, as well as a UI/UX designer, and our development partner, and we’re very excited to get this pushed out to clients next year.

More on the Unit 7 expansion

As you may have already seen from our official announcement post, we have now secured Unit 7 of the Datapoint estate, which joins Unit 5 (our current expansion project) and Unit 6 (the live footprint), creating a single ~38,000ft² facility, and giving us total control over the entire free-standing building and secure compound areas.

Work has already begun on this side of the footprint, with the initial refurbishment works now complete, and the exterior perimeter bolstered to a pre-conversion state.

Initial refurbishment works have been undertaken in the new space, ahead of our own works schedule in due course – this readies the shell for conversion as the next phase of expansion at NLE (Phase 4)

Refurbishment works spanned the entire footprint of Unit 7, including some significant layout adjustments internally to ready the space for eventual conversion

A view of the front of the new space, as initial refurbishment works are undertaken

Here we see preparations underway for the new perimeter fencing, to enclose the entire NLE footprint, which required adjustments to the demise line and external slab / drainage

We will be largely completing the Phase 3 expansion works in Unit 5 ahead of starting on Phase 4, however there may be some developmental cross-over later in the Phase 3 build cycle

As with both other footprints that make up the London East facility, the new space brings with it plenty of opportunity for expanded amenities for both customers and staff alike

The new footprint is now back to the same matching baseline condition as the prior footprints ahead of their conversion – we’re very excited to see this new space come into the Netwise London East fold

A view of the new space as seen from the corner of the front compound

Taking on Unit 7 provides masses of additional compound space, which has now been fully enclosed in our palisade fencing – this will have the razor wire and our own specialise access control automation added later

Having full control of the perimeter, as well as masses of additional space for parking and plant equipment, is a welcome addition to the NLE ecosystem

The full-width frontage of our London East facility, which now encompasses the entirety of the south side of the Datapoint estate, makes for quite an imposing approach

We’ve had yet another incredible year here at Netwise, which we’re please to top off with a final build blog post update for our readers.

We’ll have another year in review landing in January, as is tradition, but in the meantime we’d like to wish everyone a very merry Christmas, and a happy New Year. We’ll see you in 2026 for further progress on our multi-faceted expansion schedule.

November 26, 2025November 26, 2025 by Matt Seaton

Netwise to further expand London East facility

News, Press Release
2025, 2026, data center, data centre, expansion, growth, new data centre, news

We’re very pleased to officially announce further development and expansion plans at our Netwise London East (NLE) facility.

The ink is now dry on a deal which sees us take full control of the freestanding units on the south side of the Datapoint estate – occupying Units 5, 6 and 7 – adding another ~12,000ft² of available data centre space.

The total NLE facility footprint now spans ~38,000ft², and is expected to house around 500 racks across all active data halls once fully deployed.

Initial refurbishment works are already underway in the newly acquired space, with adjustments being made to increase the front compound, and to install perimeter security to our exacting specifications.

This comes just 12 months after beginning work on our first expansion project at NLE (Phase 3), which is expected to see initial completion and client occupation in 2026, as Data Hall 5 comes online. The modular deployment of the initial expansion project will continue into 2027, with the onlining of Data Hall 6.

Updates continue to flow into our much-lauded build blog, which allows readers to follow along with a behind the scenes look at progress in active development phases. This newly planned phase of expansion works will flow into the build blog in due course.

We now have full operational occupation and control over the south side of the Datapoint estate, with both buildings either side of the active facility forming part of the London East footprint. This gives us full control over the entire freestanding building, with the full perimeter and all external areas now under Netwise authority.

The addition of Unit 7 will see the total footprint of the London East facility grow by nearly 200% since Phase 1 began in 2020.

Plans for the internal fit-out of this new space are still pending. Early stage plans centre around an additional two data halls (7 and 8), which are likely to become high-density spaces to cater for increasing demand from the HPC and AI/ML sectors, particularly for inference applications that require edge facility locations in critical markets.

Total power delivered to the site is to be significantly increased, with final plans and figures as-yet unannounced.

"This is an incredibly exciting time for Netwise, as we deploy further space at our flagship London East facility. The demand for high-quality data centre space in London only continues to grow, so ensuring we have maximum availability at all times - for existing and emerging deployment trends - is vital."

Matt Seaton, Director

We continue to invest heavily in the development of our portfolio across the board, as the market expands more broadly, placing increasing demand on the infrastructure that drives the modern economy.

This multi-pronged approach to growth and development within the organisation has been a cornerstone of the Netwise formula since day one, with an in-house team capable of managing a wide range of ongoing projects concurrently.

"Our aim has always been to take full control of the south side of the Datapoint estate. Adding Unit 7 to the London East footprint sees this plan through, giving us maximum flexibility over where we take the next chapter of the London East story. We're extremely excited to see continued growth here at our flagship London data centre. With Netwise turning 16 this December, we have much cause for celebration."

Matthew Butt, Managing Director

Having additional capacity available in London’s ever-popular data centre ecosystem is vital for growth-minded operators in this sector, as demand for critical infrastructure continues to outpace sector build rates. Staying ahead of the curve and building world-class facilities that clients from all across the globe can rely on is of paramount importance as we look towards the next decade.

You can follow along with early stage progress on our build blog – keep an eye out for updates as we head into 2026.

August 29, 2025August 29, 2025 by Matt Seaton

London East – End of Phase 2 Development

In this instalment of the Build Blog, we look at the closure of Phase 2 development works here at Netwise London East.

The updates here take us from June to present day, as the first new clients now prepare to move critical systems into our newly launched data hall. Data Hall 3 is the fourth and final hall to come into service in the active side of NLE, with Data Hall 4 launched ahead of Data Hall 3 (for various technical and logistical reasons), in mid-2024.

Phase 3 development works continue, as we prepare for the launch of Data Halls 5 and 6 in 2026, as part of our new expansion project. Updates on Phase 3 have slowed slightly as we turned attention to closing out Phase 2, and onlining Data Hall 3, which is now ready to receive incoming deployments.

Here are the update photos from the close-out of Phase 2:

Completing Data Hall 3

First we step back to the height of the summer, as the underfloor works are completed, ahead of cooling plant siting, followed by the commissioning of all key systems.

Power — The under floor containment and cabling works are well underway at this stage

Cooling — The freshly positioned CREC system for Data Hall 3, now sat on their pre-installed downflow plinths, ahead of full commissioning

After completion of the under floor works, overhead works (not shown here), and a few other ancillary actions to ready the space, we rolled in the racks and installed the containment systems for each pod.

Phase 2 works complete

Here we see Data Hall 3 completed and commissioned, with the first client systems due for deployment imminently, including expansion projects for existing customers, as well as new clients who have had space in reservation.

DH3 — Data Hall 3 sits on the ground floor, next to the ground floor breach into the new extension (Phase 3), the door to which sits behind the temporary hoarding seen here – Data Hall 6 will be located just beyond this new ground floor accessway

DH3 — The completion of Data Hall 3 brings the Phase 2 deployment schedule at London East to an end

DH3 — The temporary obscuring vinyls on the glass vision panels within the entrance doors have now been removed, signalling total completion of the space

DH3 — Pod 1 within Data Hall 3, now complete and ready to receive pre-reserved client systems

DH3 — Pod 2 shown as completed, which is also ready for new client deployments

DH3 — A view across from Pod 2 to Pod 1, with some of the power distribution on show in orange, along with the supplementary CRACs

DH3 — The B-side ODF can be seen on the left here, which will handle all B-side connectivity distribution for client deployments within this new space

DH3 — A view down the full run of CREC units, now delivering controlled cooling to both containment pods at the highest possible levels of efficiency

DH3 — As with all other data halls within the active side of the facility, both pods each contain 28 pre-deployed rack footprints, with Pod 1 holding all of our segregated rack options (quarter and half racks)

DH3 — The inside view of each containment pod shows the floor grills, which will be adjusted as the hall fills, along with key monitoring systems, including temperature, humidity, pressure and particulates

DH3 — The A-side ODF sits alongside Pod 1, mirroring the B-side ODF alongside Pod 2 shown previously

DH3 — The backside view of the cooling system post-commissioning, in a spun down state here (hence the closed intake louvres), with completed plumbing and drainage shown

We’re extremely proud to have reached full available capacity within the currently active data centre footprint at London East, following our initial build in 2020-2021 and subsequent modular deployment schedule.

We look forward to welcoming a whole host of exciting new clients into this space, and can now focus our build efforts back towards Phase 3, which will see the onlining of Data Hall 5 in 2026, along with a range of new facility amenities for clients and staff to enjoy.

Keep your eyes peeled for further Phase 3 updates soon, along with a big announcement about further expansion at London East beyond 2026.

May 15, 2025May 15, 2025 by Matt Seaton

London East Phase 2 Development Update 7

Phase 2 development works have picked up at our London East facility in the early stages of 2025, as we prepare to bring Data Hall 3 online. This will be the final hall as part of Phase 2, before full focus turns to our main expansion project, which will see the addition of Data Halls 5 and 6 – this will be Phase 3.

Phase 3 is already underway – starting in early December 2024 – and will run in tandem with the final stage of Phase 2. You can see our Phase 3 posts published so far here on our build blog.

As Data Hall 3 will be the final hall to be onlined in the current side of the building, we’re expecting a somewhat speedy deployment schedule, given that many aspects of the fit-out process were completed as part of the Data Hall 4 schedule. As Data Halls 3 and 4 share the ground floor, there were certain deployment synergies which allowed for progress on both halls at the same time, much like upstairs with Data Halls 1 and 2. This approach will carry over to Data Hall 5 and 6 in the new expansion, as part of the Phase 3 schedule.

Earlier Phase 2 Works

Here are some photo updates, starting with the primary cooling system upgrade works for each active data hall, which happened in mid-2024:

DH3 — All data halls now have water meters in place to enable the measurement of WUE metrics, which sit alongside PUE metrics as important measures of efficiency and sustainability – water supply capacity has also been increased

Later Phase 2 Works

We can now take a look at more recent build progress in Data Hall 3:

DH3 — One of the first elements of installation focus for Data Hall 3 centred around the power distribution

DH3 — Both A and B feed power distribution boards have been situated (along with the separate dual-fed mechanical board), with termination of the main feeds to follow

DH3 — Here we see the checker plate wall protection install underway

DH3 — Here’s a wider view of works underway inside of Data Hall 3, with overhead flood-cabling in progress

DH3 — Both ODF A and B have been installed at this stage, along with all supporting cable containment

DH3 — The view towards the back of the hall, where the primary cooling system will be situated – the intake vents can be seen pre-cut, with temporary insulated blocks inserted until ready for filter frame installation

DH3 — Some of the custom (and rather intricate!) multi-level containment work can be seen underfloor here, designed and installed by our expert in-house electrical team

DH3 — All containment is handled ahead of flood cabling and termination, which is set to begin very soon

DH3 — There are fully diverse containment routes flowing around the entirety of each data hall sub-floor, to ensure the maximum level of compliant power delivery to each client rack

DH3 — Data Hall 3 has a matching power delivery system to that found in Data Hall 4, which came online in the summer of 2024 – this was an evolution of the power delivery system design deployed in the first floor Data Halls (1 and 2)

DH3 — A view across Data Hall 3, as work on the under floor infrastructure continues

DH3 — Terminations within the main distribution boards 3 are well underway here

DH3 — Here we see the supplementary CRACs under commissioning within Data Hall 3, after positioning on their custom plinths

DH3 — As part of the CREC system installation for Data Hall 3, modifications are being made within the cold corridor in Data Hall 1, as part of the hot air extraction system

DH3 — These modifications will ultimately result in a matching setup as seen previously in this post, which now functions across the Data Hall 2 / Data Hall 4 extraction pairing

DH3 — Additional intake filters will also be added to the Data Hall 1 cold corridor soon, as part of the Phase 2 finalisation works

DH3 — On the topic of filters, here we see the cold corridor within Data Hall 2, as a full filter change is undertaken – this includes main intake filters (seen here), along with all internal cooler filters, wet pads, and the final cold air exit filters, all of which are contained within the CREC wall

DH3 — The CRECs and associated filters have arrived, ready for installation within Data Hall 3

This has been quite a significant update post, given that it covers Phase 2 works spanning back to mid-2024. This phase will see the completion of all deployable data hall space within the active side of Netwise London East, which will reach completion ahead of the active Phase 3 works.

We’re now in the closing stages of Phase 2; Data Hall 3 will be onlined and ready to receive incoming customer deployments in the next few months. We’ll be providing final Phase 2 build blog updates as this work reaches completion.

Phase 3 will continue alongside these final Phase 2 works, however internal focus is now firmly on getting Data Hall 3 ready for occupation.

April 4, 2025 by Matt Seaton

London East Phase 3 Development Update 4

As we enter Q2 2025, development works continue at Netwise London East, with many additions to relay in this latest edition of our build blog.

Some internal engineering focus has now shifted back to the closing stages of Phase 2, with the roll-out of the final data hall within the active side of the facility (more on this very soon), however the completion of the initial envelope works schedule – as part of the Phase 3 expansion – is still pressing towards finalisation.

Here are the latest updates:

Envelope — A bulkhead has now been installed along the front of the new mezzanine, to close off the otherwise open edge between the ground and first floor wall systems

Forklift — On the topic of forklifts, we’ve added a second to our fleet, with another Linde unit capable of heavier lifts and greater reach

Racking — The pallet racking has since been built out further, with additional bays and rear overspill protection – we have a custom infill section coming soon, to sit in the gap presently seen on the left hand side here

CCTV — Our secure perimeter mixes a range of systems and technologies to create an extremely robust protected boundary around our facilities

The forthcoming works schedule includes completion of the perimeter fencing (including the new turnstile and automated vehicle gate), the cutting and fitment of the final interlink doorways, the installation of early stage cable containment across the entirety of the new space, the installation of the new water feed system(s) for our primary evaporative cooling architecture, and a host of additional preparatory work as we wrap up the first stage of the envelope installation.

We’re also taking delivery of the new UPSs, cooling systems, and switchgear, as we look ahead to the largest aspect of the project, that being the commissioning of the main service utilities.