Microsoft Unveils Plans for New Data Center in Langley, UK

Microsoft is moving forward with plans to develop a data center at the Langley Business Centre site near Slough, west of London, marking another step in the company's continued expansion of its cloud infrastructure across the UK.

The proposed facility, located on Station Road near Langley and Windsor College, would replace an earlier development scheme that secured outline planning permission in 2021 but has since lapsed. That previous project, explored by Zurich Assurance, envisioned a 1 million sq ft (93,000 sqm) data center alongside 60 affordable homes. Microsoft said its new proposal differs from the earlier outline permission and is "focused on data center use," signaling a shift toward a more dedicated infrastructure approach for the site.

According to the company's community page, Microsoft held two drop-in sessions on July 14 and 15 to engage local residents and gather feedback on the project. A presentation shown at the sessions outlined the scope of the development: "The proposals include one new data center building, including data halls, office space, and further ancillary facilities. A substation will be included, which will be subject to a separate planning application."

The data center building would reach heights of approximately 26.1 meters (86 feet), with administration blocks rising to a maximum of 28.5 meters (94 feet). Microsoft also plans to retain existing "boundary trees" along the site's perimeter to screen the building from neighboring residences, addressing local aesthetic and privacy concerns.

The company stated that following the consultation period, it will "assess the feedback gathered before submitting our proposal to Slough Borough Council." This suggests the project is still in its pre-planning phase, with a formal application expected in the coming months.

The Langley proposal adds to Microsoft's growing UK footprint. In November 2025, the company filed plans for a data center campus near Leeds, and it is also developing facilities in Newport, near Wales, and Acton in north-west London. Microsoft currently operates two cloud regions in the UK—UK South and UK West—with the UK South region reportedly experiencing capacity constraints earlier this year, underscoring the strategic importance of new infrastructure in the region.

Slough and its surrounding area form the largest data center hub in the UK, hosting operators such as Yondr, Virtus, Equinix, and CyrusOne. Microsoft's entry into this established market highlights the intensifying competition for land and power in one of Europe's most concentrated digital infrastructure corridors, as hyperscale demand continues to drive development activity across the country.