The first data center at a long-planned campus in Derry, Northern Ireland, has been given the go-ahead by planners.

As reported by the Derry Journal, Atlantic Hub was granted approval this month for the development of a four-story IT service and data center building, generators, and a substation by Derry City & Strabane District Council’s planning committee.

The campus is to be located at the Foyle Port Innovation Park in Maydown on land near 23 Maydown Road. Timelines for development weren't shared.

Atlantic Hub CEO Brian Doherty has confirmed that the company aims to expand the site in future, and that plans for a data center in Donegal are also progressing.

"Delighted to secure our full planning approval for Atlantic Hub data center campus at Foyle Port, with our power connection also in place we look forward to commencing development," he said on LinkedIn.

At full build-out, the 100MW, 12-hectare site could total four buildings and 1 million sq ft (93,000 sqm) of technical space.

The project has been in the planning phase for several years - planning permission for this campus was first submitted back in 2018.

Outline planning permission was secured for four data centers on the site in 2020 - though with conditions attached. Site preparation work began in 2022 after those conditions were met.

Atlantic Hub reportedly aims to return at a later date with a fresh application to build out the remainder of the campus.

There are two power stations nearby; Coolkeeragh Power Station and Lisahally biomass power station.

A second, 100MW campus, is planned at the Letterkenny Technology Park in Donegal, some 35km across the Irish border into the Republic of Ireland.