Alongside debt financing, KKR’s (NYSE: KKR) equity commitment into Global Technical Realty (GTR) is expected to support more than $2.5 billion of asset development and investment.

This will include opportunities from “a highly active commercial pipeline”, as the demand for third­ party data centre provision continues to thrive, the global investment firm said.

Under the plans, GTR, a $1bn European build-to-suit data centre platform, has now broken ground on its first 40.5MW UK data centre campus – GB One.

The operator has agreed to lease the site at Slough Trading Estate in the outskirts of London in June 2021, partnering with estate owner, SEGRO (LON: SGRO), which will be developing the building shell.

When complete the campus will be the largest in the area, comprising three independent data centres capable of operating individually, or as one interlinked facility.

Each building will accommodate over 5,375 sq. m. of net technical area and 13.5 MW IT load.

Franek Sodzawiczny, Founder and CEO at Global Technical Realty, said: “The data centre sector is experiencing phenomenal growth and is evolving at a rate we’ve never seen before. GTR is in the unique position of having an equity capital commitment with KKR’s third global infrastructure fund. 

“This gives us the flexibility to not only fund projects rapidly but to also offer continuity of support to our customers across multiple facilities and locations. We are motivated to get our first UK data centre up and operational and are delighted to be partnering with SEGRO to help achieve this.”

James Craddock, SEGRO’s Managing Director for Thames Valley, added: “Over the last 100 years Slough Trading Estate has evolved in terms of the customers based there.  Data centres are part of the latest evolution, breathing new life into the estate alongside some of our more traditional customer base.

“Our data centre team is looking forward to using its unrivalled sector experience to work with GTR to create this state-of-the-art facility at Slough Trading Estate.”