UNITED KINGDOM: Pure DC eyes brownfield Sunderland site for giant 500 MW Anthropic AI data centre

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Pure Data Centres is said to be in early talks for the acquisition of a brownfield site in Sunderland, with discussions being held with Anthropic for a 500 MW lease deal, according to sources.

The Oaktree Capital Management-backed developer is believed to be mulling a site in Hartlepool, say sources. The AI giant Anthropic is simultaneously involved in talks with Pure for a facility that would cater to 500 MW of IT capacity.

A first-phase build is targeting 100 MW and aims to break ground in Q1 2027, suggested one source.

Previous NPM reporting suggests that there are two possible sites in Sunderland that could be considered as part of the Pure-Anthropic deal.

Hellens Group (Hellens Investments), which owns 265 acres of brownfield land at the Queens Meadow Business Park in Hartlepool and additional brownfield land at the emerging Burtree Garden Village in Darlington, could be two possible locations.

Both would be fitting, as in January 2026, Hellens Group submitted a proposal to the UK Government requesting that the two sites be designated as part of a new UK AI Growth Zone, focused on data centre development, as NPM previously reported.

The two sites would provide more than 450 MVA of secured power capacity, meeting the threshold set by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology for nationally significant AI infrastructure.

In Darlington, the proposal incorporates part of Burtree Garden Village, a mixed-use scheme planned to include 2,000 homes and up to 45.9 acres of employment and leisure space.

Homes England is Hellens’ joint-venture partner on the garden village and retains an interest in Queens Meadow.

Earlier in April 2026, Anthropic launched a recruitment drive in London and APAC, with a view to hiring specialists to oversee infrastructure development across FLAP-D hubs, signifying further expansion.

A month later, it raised EUR 56.34m (USD 65m) in Series H funding, according to a company press release.

Pure Data Centres declined to comment on the matter.

Anthropic did not respond to requests for comment.