Press Release - 9th April 2010
Kenneth Clarke "Tops Out" Data Centre at Cobalt
Shadow business secretary Kenneth Clarke has "topped out" a 4,262 sq m data centre at the Cobalt Data Centre Campus in North Tyneside – next to Cobalt Park, the largest office park in the UK.
Using a rubber mallet Mr Clarke tapped into place a curtain walling pressure plate to mark the "topping out" of the building that comprises four data halls and is due for completion in July. Based on the site of the former Siemens and Atmel facilities a second 6,000 sq m data centre is also being refurbished.
Mr Clarke said: "Cobalt is an enormously successful business park which is a testament to private sector investment combined with the highly motivated and skilled workforce of people on Tyneside."
Simon Davies, a director of Highbridge, the developers of Cobalt said: "The data centre is being built speculatively and will be one of the most secure and advanced in Europe. Which means, in these capital constrained times, that companies needing to store their data can lease space from us rather than having to make an enormous capital investment in their own facility. It will employ 60 cutting edge engineers and IT specialists."
Mr Clarke also visited the Cobalt Business Exchange and Conference Centre (CBX), a new 120,000 sq ft (11,148 sq m) serviced office and conference facility and met occupiers including George Foster, managing director of the latest arrival, recruitment company JSG Worldwide Enterprises, who moved his business into CBX following a successful home-based first year in Blyth.
Mr Foster said: "It’s great to be setting up our office at the Cobalt Business Exchange and an exciting time for our business which is set to grow further this year as we take on another member of staff and develop international opportunities. CBX offered us the best combination of location, facilities, flexibility and cost and we are really looking forward to settling in to our new base."
Over 35 companies and 250 employees are based at CBX with six new tenants arriving in the last six weeks.
The shadow business secretary also toured Cobalt office park, where occupiers include P&G, Newcastle Building Society, Orange, North Tyneside Council, EDS, Banco Santander, G4S, DWP, Formica, Balfour Beatty and Village Hotel.
