Elite UK REIT says project will bring hundreds of construction jobs

A new multi-million pound data centre to be sited on the edge of Blackpool is set to bring a major jobs boost to the Fylde coast.

Singapore-based real estate firm Elite UK REIT is to open the data centre at the Peel Park business site on Brunel Way.

The team behind the scheme say it will bring not only hundreds of jobs during the construction phase, but permanent roles once it is up and running.

Elite UK REIT secured planning permission for the new development from planners at Fylde Council earlier this month.

Peel Park business estate falls under Fylde Council because it is geographically located within the borough of Fylde, specifically within the Whitehills area, despite its proximity to the Blackpool boundary and its “Blackpool” branding

The planning application was submitted as part of Blackpool’s Growth and Prosperity programme, which includes development projects in the 144-ha Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone as well as the Talbot Gateway Central Business District.

How many jobs will it bring?

According to planning documents submitted with the application, the project will bring 600–800 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs during the peak build period.

These will cover general contracting, electrical, mechanical, civil engineering,security, telecoms, and project management roles.

As for permanent high-skilled Jobs, there will be an estimated 50–80 full-time roles, with annual salaries said to range from £40,000 to £100,000, once the centre is fully operational.

That will include data centre managers, network engineers, systems architects,security, facilities management, and renewable energy integration roles. Many of these roles are high-paying technical positions, contributing to the local economy’s upskilling and wage growth.

The total capital investment has been put at an estimated£450–£500 million over the development lifecycle.

This includes site preparation, construction,M&E (Mechanical & Electrical) systems,data centre fit-out, and renewable energyinfrastructure integration

The centre will be built on an undeveloped 20-acre plot on the site, next to offices leased to the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ).

The site is close to the M55 and benefits from strategic connectivity and proximity to subsea fibre-optic infrastructure, capable of transmitting over 95–99% of international data.

What is Elite?

Elite is a REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) whose business activities involve acquiring real estate and related assets in the United Kingdom.

It is notable for having over 99% of its portfolio leased to the UK government, primarily providing critical social infrastructure to the DWP.

Elite UK REIT’s portfolio had a total asset value of £424.7 million as of December 31 2025. With its portfolio, Elite REIT provides unitholders with a secure income stream from the Department for Work and Pensions and various UK government departments.

The site is close to the M55 and benefits from strategic connectivity and proximity to subsea fibre-optic infrastructure, capable of transmitting over 95–99% of international data.

The portfolio has 148 properties which are mostly freehold or virtually freehold, geographically diversified across the UK and strategically located in town centres, near amenities, and transportation nodes.

What they say

Joshua Liaw, chief executive officer of Elite UK REIT, said: “The planning approval marks another milestone in our value creation strategy. It demonstrates our ability to identify unique attributes and potential of each of our portfolio assets and when feasible, reposition the REIT’s assets to deliver even greater value.

“We are now in a strong position to actively explore various strategic options for Peel Park, Blackpool to maximise value for our unitholders.

“With demand for artificial intelligence and cloud-based technologies continuing to grow, we are excited about the prospect of a proposed data centre in Peel Park, Blackpool in supporting regional economic development, inward investment and the objectives of the nearby Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone.”

The data centre building on the proposed data centre development Site can be up to 14 metres in height, with a rooftop cooling structure rising to 20 metres. The Site is also expected to encompass a substation compound; a security office, and associated plant, infrastructure, parking, drainage and landscaping.