The proposal comes despite a government-appointed planning inspector recently asking the council to protect the site from development, reports James Cracknell
A data centre is being proposed for Green Belt land on the edge of the borough – despite a planning inspector recently demanding the site be removed from the new Enfield Local Plan.
Orbital Data Centres Ltd wants to build the 150 megawatt facility on disused farmland to the south of junction 24 of the M25, a site which is split between Enfield and Hertsmere borough, in Hertfordshire.
While Orbital points out in a press release issued yesterday (Wednesday 28th) that the western half of the plot has been “identified as a potential site suitable for employment use in Hertsmere Council’s draft Local Plan” it does not mention that in Enfield’s own draft Local Plan, the site is being removed.
Government-appointed planning inspector Steven Lee wrote to Enfield Council in June with his recommended alterations to the Local Plan, following last year’s nine-month public examination process.
Regarding the site now being proposed for a 50,000sqm data centre – equivalent in size to seven football pitches – Lee wrote in his letter: “The allocation would result in a very high degree of harm to Green Belt purposes and would, in effect, create an isolated ‘hole’ in the Green Belt near to junction 24 of the M25.
“This would not extend the existing urban edge but rather create an entirely new pocket of built form in an area where there are currently only sporadic buildings.
“Notwithstanding the proximity of the motorway junction, the area retains a relatively rural character, particularly when heading into Enfield.”
Orbital bought the farmland in a deal with the council – when it was still being led by Labour – in January this year. The site had been identified by the civic centre at that time as “surplus to operational requirements”.
However, in his June letter, Lee concluded: “The exceptional circumstances needed to justify this specific allocation have not been identified. The allocation is therefore not consistent with national policy and should be deleted.”
Combined with the recent change of political administration at the council, with the Conservatives being elected on a pledge to protect the Green Belt, Lee’s recommendation means the junction 24 site will almost certainly be removed from the new Local Plan before it is adopted.
In its press release, Orbital states that “over half of the currently unused site will remain as green space” and will also be “improved with new planting and landscaping, including 640 new trees, as well as wetland and grassland habitats, ponds and wildlife corridors”. It adds that two hectares will also “become publicly accessible with new footpaths”.
Data centres were designated by the government as ‘critical national infrastructure’ two years ago because of their contribution to the rapidly-growing artificial intelligence (AI) industry, but have also been increasingly criticised for their environmental impact.
High water and electricity demand from data centres recently led to a campaign for a moratorium on construction until capacity issues can be fully addressed – but this was rejected by government.
Orbital claims these issues won’t be a problem for its site at junction 24 anyway, as local grid capacity has already been “reserved” and the buildings are “being designed with an advanced ‘closed loop’ cooling system” which “recirculates the same water to cool the equipment instead of continually drawing in fresh supplies”.
No planning application has yet been submitted, but residents are invited to a public exhibition of the current plans at West Lodge Park Hotel, near Hadley Wood, on Tuesday 10th November, between 2pm and 8pm.
Orbital director John Doyle said: “Data centres are critical national infrastructure due to the essential part they play in our day to day lives. Whether it is accessing the online banking or shopping, streaming videos at home or using the NHS app – all of this requires data centres.
“Our proposals will not only help meet the increasing demand for these data centres that keep our lives running in the background, but also represent an investment of over £1.5bn, will generate £6.8million a year in business rates and create over 1,400 jobs during construction, 170 during operations and support 85 more in the wider area.”
For more information about the plans:
Visit junction24datacentre.co.uk
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