The UK’s first green AI data centre planned for Stoke-on-Trent has been officially named Josiah 1, in honour of Josiah Spode, the pioneering potter who founded the original Spode Works site in 1770.
Project director Jeff Nash, of developer Spode Works Regeneration, said the name reflects 250 years of innovation on the same ground: “Josiah Spode was the big brain who founded the Spode site in 1770. His perfecting of tissue printing and Bone China formulas made it possible for high-quality pottery to be mass-produced, a key part of the 18th-century industrial revolution locally.
“Our data centre aims to make computing resources available to local businesses and researchers, particularly the emerging Createch cluster.
“This will drive the 21st-century industrial revolution on the same site that Josiah Spode inspired 250 years ago.”
The £multi-million “green” facility will reuse historic factory buildings at Spode Works, converting them into an energy-efficient AI data centre that captures and reuses its own waste heat through the city’s district-energy network.
In a major boost to the project, Lenovo has now joined the delivery team, bringing global expertise in high-performance computing and AI infrastructure to the Stoke-on-Trent regeneration scheme.
Jeff said Lenovo’s involvement cemented the project’s credentials and positioned Josiah 1 as a serious player in the UK’s growing regional AI economy.
The development forms part of a wider transformation of the Spode site into a creative-tech and digital campus, expected to host studios, workspaces and training hubs alongside the data centre.
Planning approval for the Josiah 1 project was submitted earlier this month, with work expected to begin in 2026 if permission is granted.
