Cushman & Wakefield: European data centre growth is shifting
Amsterdam reaches its limits; Groningen increasingly in focus
Amsterdam, 24 April 2026. The latest EMEA Data Centre Update by Cushman & Wakefield places the Netherlands firmly in a European context and shows that power constraints and permitting processes are increasingly shaping data centre growth. For the Netherlands, this means that Amsterdam, with 852 MW of operational capacity, has less room for further expansion, while investment is more quickly shifting to other European hubs and to regional locations within the country, with Groningen emerging as a notable alternative.
Europe continues to grow, but not everywhere
The European data centre market continues to grow rapidly, although that growth is not evenly distributed. By the end of 2025, operational capacity across EMEA exceeded 11.4 GW (+19% year-on-year), while the total development pipeline increased by more than 25% to nearly 15 GW. In practice, however, delivery is lagging behind. Capacity currently under construction has plateaued at around 2.5 GW. Across Europe, the explanation is often the same: power shortages, limited grid connections and lengthy permitting processes. These factors determine where new data centres can still be delivered and where investment is forced to shift towards secondary markets and regional clusters.
The traditional core markets in the so-called FLAPD regions (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris and Dublin), supplemented by Milan, remain the largest hubs and together account for more than 45% of operational capacity in EMEA. As these most mature European core markets continue to saturate, new development is increasingly moving towards locations where large power loads can still be connected and where space and permitting constraints are less restrictive.
Amsterdam slows down; growth shifts elsewhere in Europe
With 852 MW of operational capacity, Amsterdam remains one of Europe’s largest data centre hubs, but its growth potential is under pressure. The development pipeline is limited: 182 MW is currently under construction and 250 MW is planned. This leaves Amsterdam with a significantly smaller growth pipeline than other FLAPD markets, pushing the city down to fifth place among Europe’s top data centre locations.
The constrained pipeline is primarily the result of the data centre moratorium introduced in 2019, stricter regulations and ongoing political pressure around energy consumption and land use. Although the moratorium has since been replaced by a more restrictive policy framework, large-scale new development remains complex and time-consuming. This is exactly the type of friction seen across multiple mature European hubs. At the same time, growth in the Netherlands has not come to a halt: industry association DDA expects at least seven hyperscale data centres to be developed. For many of these projects, permits have already been granted, allowing construction to proceed despite political opposition.
AI and chip growth drive demand for data centres
The capacity constraints in Amsterdam therefore affect not only the data centre market, but also the Netherlands’ broader competitive position in the European AI era. The sustainable integration of data centres has become a key component of the Dutch investment climate. Internationally, the Netherlands positions itself through ASML as a critical player in the semiconductor value chain. This growth strategy rests on two mutually reinforcing developments. The global scaling of AI requires more computing power and more data centre capacity, while ASML’s technology enables that scaling through increasingly advanced chip manufacturing systems. Without the timely expansion of high-quality data centre capacity and associated grid connections, innovation, investment and the overall business climate risk being constrained, regardless of the strength of individual champions such as ASML.
Groningen as an alternative
This shift is already visible within the Netherlands. Groningen is emerging as a scalable alternative. While the Amsterdam region is constrained by grid congestion, strict regulation and longer permitting timelines, Groningen offers space, relatively better access to power and often shorter development lead times. This makes the province attractive for large-scale, sustainable data centre developments and AI-related initiatives, including a recently announced €200 million government investment. The analysis shows that the European competition for digital infrastructure is now being decided by the availability of power, grid connections and deliverable policy frameworks. For the Netherlands, the challenge lies in combining growth capacity for digital infrastructure with spatial and energy policy choices, ensuring that AI and cloud services remain close to users and businesses in the future.
The report
The Cushman & Wakefield EMEA Data Centre Update analyses 20 markets and compares their maturity and growth potential. The report includes in-depth market analyses, including Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt and Paris, and outlines the key trends and considerations for the next decade. The report can be downloaded here.
