Slough: The Beating Heart of the Internet
Re-Imagining Slough | A Viva Slough Column, by Gozan Zerlinda Roselin John
One of the 39 data centres in Slough: Photo Viva Slough
“WHAT do data centres actually do!! for the people of Slough?” my colleague Amandeep remarked when I asked her views.
The reaction showed how disconnected many residents feel from these developments. To them, data centres are vast, windowless buildings that consume land and energy while offering little that feels visible or personal in return.
The reaction is understandable. When another grey, heavily secured block appears on the Trading Estate, it is hard to see how it improves daily life. There is no café, no job ads, no public-facing activity, just the sense that something is being taken from the town rather than added to it.
And yet, do you ever stop to think about what powers our Zoom calls, online shopping and apps we now rely on? I didn’t — until I realised much of it is quietly happening right here in Slough.
Slough is the engine room of the UK’s internet. It can sound abstract, but it has never been more relevant. The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is increasing the demand for secure, high-capacity digital infrastructure.
Today, Slough is one of the UK’s most important digital hubs, with 39 fully operational data centres and more being added every year; it is the second largest in the world. This did not happen by accident. Our proximity to London and Heathrow, strong transport links, and high-capacity fibre connectivity make Slough strategically vital to the UK’s digital economy.
Yet they can feel oddly disconnected from local life. That disconnect has shaped public opinion.
What changed my perspective was understanding the local impact. Between 2010 and 2025, data centre development supported around 8,000 construction jobs, helping keep employment on the Trading Estate broadly stable during a period of major industrial transition. Today, the sector supports an estimated 14,000 jobs. They also contribute over £30 million a year in business rates, funding everyday services from roads and waste collection to education and community support.
Still, numbers alone don’t win hearts. So, how else does the infrastructure affect us as residents?
Slough has always been shaped by industry. Data centres are simply the next chapter. They may never be buildings we admire, but managed thoughtfully, and with greater community engagement, they can help power a more skilled, connected and confident future.
It is a story worth telling.
Gozan John is an A-level student at St. Bernard’s School employed by Viva Slough to look under the hood and give a young person’s perspective on the news stories shaping the town.
Gozan wins an award for Young Volunteer of the Year
Gozan John
