Home / Technology / London's Green Belt Faces Data Centre Invasion
London's Green Belt Faces Data Centre Invasion
11 Nov
Summary
- Data centre campus proposed for London's green belt sparks local opposition.
- Concerns rise over data centres' high electricity and water consumption.
- Developers cite job creation, locals fear prolonged disruption and noise.
A proposal to build one of Europe's largest data centre campuses on London's green belt in North Ockendon is facing strong resistance from local residents. While developers, Digital Reef, claim the project will create jobs and be highly sustainable, community members express grave concerns about prolonged construction, noise, traffic, and the environmental impact.
Residents like Danny Leach describe the potential disruption as severe, citing ongoing construction for up to 20 years and a significant increase in daily vehicle traffic. Graham Ford and Emma Edmonds argue that the rural character of the area would be destroyed. Ian Pirie of Friends of the Earth criticizes the planning process as undemocratic and lacking community involvement.
Demand for data centres is surging, partly due to AI, with the UK expecting around 100 new facilities soon, many in London and the South East. This growth strains infrastructure. A report for the Greater London Authority highlights that energy is a critical constraint, with new connections potentially taking seven to 13 years. Water consumption is also a major concern, as a 100MW data centre can use 2.5 billion litres annually, equivalent to 80,000 people's needs.
While industry representatives, like Mark Pestridge of Telehouse, emphasize the essential role of data centres in daily services and highlight efforts towards water and energy efficiency, academics urge caution. Professor Liz Stephens notes that data centres' water demands could strain future water capacity, with Thames Water estimating a 30% increase in demand from this sector. Matt Evans of Tech UK counters that UK data centres use only about 0.2% of non-domestic water and utilize nearly 100% renewable energy.
The draft London Plan supports data centres in suitable locations but requires confirmation of water and electricity capacity, prioritizing brownfield sites over green belt land. Mayor Sadiq Khan aims for London to have the world's most sustainable data centres, encouraging energy efficiency and heat recovery. Digital Reef states their project includes a large ecology park and public green space, though they did not comment directly on the opposition.
