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Data Centre Sparks Village Outcry
9 Jul
Summary
- Nearly 5,000 petition signatures oppose a data centre near Norwich.
- Developer claims the facility will use green energy and recycled water.
- Concerns include environmental impact on the Yare Valley nature sites.
Plans for a significant data centre near Norwich have drawn strong local opposition, with nearly 5,000 people signing a petition against the proposal. The Norwich Apex Data Centre is slated for development on a seven-acre site within a larger, already-approved 32-acre business park in Keswick, south of Norwich.
Local residents and parish council members have voiced concerns regarding the potential environmental impact on the River Yare valley and nearby nature reserves like Marston Marsh. They question the substantial energy and water consumption of such facilities, especially amidst rising global temperatures.
The developer, Norwich Apex, states the centre will be powered by green energy from offshore wind farms and will operate using a closed-loop water circulation system, minimizing water consumption. They also assert the facility will generate less noise and traffic than the original business park plans.
A public consultation for the data centre proposal is currently underway, with a planning application expected to be submitted to South Norfolk District Council in the coming weeks. This initiative is part of a broader trend of increasing data centre development in the UK, driven by demand for AI and digital services.
