An £800million data centre in Abbots Langley has been approved after the government overturned a district council rejection from January 2024.
The centre, to be built by developer Greystoke Land, will cover 84,000 square metres and will include two buildings up to 20 metres high. A country park will be created on the land adjacent to the centre.
Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) initially unanimously objected to the plans on the basis that the scale of the facility would result in an “inappropriate development in the green belt”.
However, on Monday, May 12, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner MP ruled that the harm to green belt and the effect on the designated heritage assets at the Tithe Barn and Mansion House Farmhouse were outweighed by the public benefits of the proposal.
Leader of TRDC, councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst said: “I am extremely disappointed that the refusal of the plans by TRDC and our efforts in defending our decision has not been supported by the Deputy Prime Minister.”
Responding to the verdict’s conclusion that the centre’s public benefits outweigh any costs, cllr Giles-Medhurst added: “I, like most Abbots Langley residents beg to differ … There is little gain for the village apart from an extra country park and some low-level employment, but it means putting up with mega warehouse-type buildings across our countryside and green belt.”
In October, the council vigorously defended their initial rejection of the centre to an inquiry, costing over £100,000. Cllr Giles-Medhurst found it “upsetting” that this money was spent in vain.
However, the council has no plans to appeal the decision to the High Court, as “there is no suggestion the Inspector or [Secretary of State] has erred on a point of law”.
A spokesperson for Greystoke said: “We welcome the Secretary of State’s decision. Abbots Langley Data Centre will attract more than £1 billion of investment and help to secure thousands of digital jobs across the country. The Government’s positive approach to building data centres is a significant step forward for the UK’s economic growth and digital leadership.”
“People living in Three Rivers will see hundreds of highly paid jobs created, £12 million set aside for education and training, a new publicly-accessible country park the size of 25 football pitches, and a doubling of biodiversity. The country park is on land which is currently private, so it will be easier for locals to access green spaces than before.”
Photo credit Pegasus Group, Greystoke Land
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