Data centre targeting London's green belt

Data centre targeting London's green belt

London residents are up in arms over plans to build a massive data centre on green belt land on the edge of the city. Fleur Albrecht, a local protester, passionately expresses her opposition to the development, stating that it will destroy the natural lungs of London. The proposed data centre, which will be one of Europe’s largest, aims to create jobs and foster economic growth in the area.

Joining Albrecht in her protests are other residents who are concerned about the lack of transparency in the consultation process and the potential environmental impact of the data centre. They fear that the development will disrupt the natural beauty of the green belt and harm the local biodiversity. Additionally, residents are worried about the health effects, especially considering the proximity of the M25 and existing issues with asthma in the area.

Despite the opposition, the local Hertsmere Borough Council has approved the construction of the data centre. Council leader Jeremy Newmark defends the decision, citing the need to ensure the borough benefits from the digital future and supports national economic growth. He believes that sacrificing a small portion of green belt land for the data centre is a necessary trade-off for the area’s development and economic prosperity.

The developer of the data centre, dc01uk, justifies the project by highlighting that the land is technically designated as green belt but performs poorly against the purposes of the green belt. They argue that the site should be considered “grey belt” and emphasize plans to create wildlife habitats, enhance biodiversity, and retain a significant portion of open space on the site. Despite the opposition from residents and environmental concerns, the construction of the data centre is set to proceed as part of efforts to boost the digital infrastructure in the region

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More