24 January 2024
Three Rivers District Council’s planning committee has refused permission for a new £1 billion Green Belt data centre near Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire..jpg?lu=509)
Councillors unanimously rejected Greystoke Land’s data centre, agreeing with the Officer Report provided to them ahead of the meeting.
Greystoke Land said that the proposed data centre would have provided a 96MW of IT load over a maximum of 84,000sqm distributed across two buildings. The report outlined three grounds for refusal, including the site’s location within the Green Belt without meeting special circumstances. It also highlighted potential harm to the area’s character, appearance, and natural environment due to the proposed data centre. The Officer Report also suggested the developer should be obligated to contribute financially to enhance walking and cycling routes in the area.
A representative from Greystoke Land said that the UK needs large data centres to support economic growth and digital leadership.
“Building one here in Abbots Langley will bring hundreds of well-paid jobs to the area, £12 million ($15.2 million) investment in education and training, and a new country park,” said the representative from Greystoke Land. “Failing to build here will mean employers and investors will look to Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Paris instead.”
Greystoke Land said that the rapid increase in data generation, driven by transformative shifts in technology usage for personal, administrative, governmental, and business purposes spurred the proposal. The shortage of suitable sites in London and surrounding areas intensifies the need for hyperscale data centres in the London region. The adoption of technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things is further amplifying this growth to unprecedented levels.
“We understand that every 1.2 years the amount of digital data being stored globally doubles,” said Greystoke Land. This gives rise to real-world land use planning issues that need to be addressed.
In July, residents of the community criticised the data centre’s appearance and the increased traffic levels. One parish commentator previously voiced ‘grave concerns’ regarding the environmental impact of the construction and questioned what measures will be taken to cool the site.
