Data Centres in Noord-Holland: Cluster Capacity, Derogation Routes and the Digital Sovereignty Agenda

17 September 2026

Noord-Holland remains the Netherlands’ leading data centre market, but limited development capacity, grid congestion and evolving policy priorities are creating a more complex environment for investors and lenders. This briefing examines the implications of the province’s data centre strategy 2025–2027, including the proposed derogation route for developments outside existing clusters, the growing influence of digital sovereignty on investment and ownership structures and the regulatory developments likely to shape the Dutch data centre market in the years ahead. It also considers a recent motion submitted to the Dutch House of Representatives requesting the Government to explore whether data centre permitting could be used to promote European-autonomous data centre capacity, reflecting the growing policy focus on digital sovereignty, strategic autonomy and European cooperation.

Download PDF