A proposal submitted to the government to designate Hartlepool’s Queens Meadow Business Park and Burtree Garden Village in Darlington as part of a new AI Growth Zone has been blacked by a local MP. 

The bid, submitted by a partnership including regional developer Hellens Group, alongside a national data centre operator and an investment firm, outlines a two-site development with over 450MVA of secured power capacity. 

This is equivalent to the electricity used to power more than one million homes and meets the threshold set by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) for nationally significant AI infrastructure.

Jonathan Brash, MP for Hartlepool, has backed the plans, sending a letter of support to the government. He said: “This proposal is an exciting opportunity for Hartlepool to play a leading role in the next generation of digital and technological growth. Queens Meadow is a strategically important site for our town, and this bid shows how Hartlepool can attract serious long-term investment that brings skilled jobs, new opportunities for local people, and lasting benefits for our economy.

“What matters to me is that any AI Growth Zone delivers real value for our community. That means jobs for local people, strong links with Hartlepool College of Further Education, and investment that supports our ambition to be a town at the forefront of innovation and clean growth. Hartlepool has the space, the skills and the potential to make this work, and I am proud to support this bid.“

Gavin Cordwell-Smith, chief executive of Hellens Group, added: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to attract long-term, clean investment to the region. It brings the potential for hundreds of high-quality jobs, support for digital skills, and major economic impact for both towns.”

The 160-acre Queens Meadow site in Hartlepool, owned by Hellens Group, has more than 110 acres allocated for the proposed development. 

The Government support is intended to ensure that AIGZs become centres of skills, innovation and opportunity rather than solely hosts for large data assets. Local authorities will retain 100 per cent of business rate growth from these zones for 25 years, anticipated to be £6m to £10m per year.

If successful, development of the sites would be expected to begin in 2028.

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