New research just released by GVA Connect (gatewaydatacentre.co.uk), the data center specialist division of property adviser GVA, showed that the take-up of data center space by end users such as corporate occupiers, government agencies and IT Integrators more than doubled in the first half of 2014 compared to this time last year.
 
"With continued acquisition by data center operators through 2013 and a sharp increase of end user take up in Q1/2014, our research shows the continued growth in take up of both co-location and wholesale data centre space by end users which is rewarding those commitments by operators to expand existing sites as well as developing new sites," says GVA Connect director Charles Carden.
 
Total take up (including operators and end users) in H1/2014 increased by 14% compared to the same period in 2013. Within that, the volume of end user transactions more than doubled from a total of 13MW in H1/2013 to 30MW in H1/2014.

"Transaction volumes have increased significantly," says Carden, adding that while a small number of transactions were recorded for 1MW plus of capacity, the underlying trend across all sectors was typically for 50kW plus, on a scalable basis to allow for projected growth.
 
The latest research showed once again that London and the South East continue to lead the way as an International technology hub with almost 70% of total UK take up in H1/2014 being within London Synchronous locations with the remainder across the UK.