Login

Google Splashes £47 Million on Massive Essex Industrial and Data Centre Opportunity

LSL Has Sold on 127-Acre Former Racetrack Site Where it Had Planned 2,500 Homes
Google parent Alphabet has bought a open-land site in Essex. Pictured: one of its Dublin offices (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Google parent Alphabet has bought a open-land site in Essex. Pictured: one of its Dublin offices (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) (NurPhoto via Getty Images)
CoStar News
November 1, 2023 | 2:29 P.M.

LSL Partners has sold the freehold interest in 129 acres on Arterial Road in Thurrock in Essex to Global Infrastructure UK, a vehicle linked to Google, for £47 million.

According to Companies House, Global Infrastructure UK Limited recently bought the site, which sits alongside Lakeside Shopping Centre and Thurrock Gateway Services. It has two active directors, including one who holds a senior position at Google.

Primary Photo - 18881536
The site (DTRE)

It is unclear what Google plans to do with the site, but LSL has confirmed on its website it has been sold to a "hyperscaler". The site has been sold by DTRE as being suitable for redevelopment as a self-contained logistics park of circa 1.3 million square feet and it is thought Google has plans for a major data centre development.

LSL bought it in 2017 from two private landowners. It submitted a planning application for 2,500 homes in 2018, including a lido, community centre, primary school, health centre and walking and bike trails. It was formerly used as a raceway track and before that a landfill.

DTRE advised LSL.

IN THIS ARTICLE