Government accepts it wrongly approved data centre

The government has accepted it wrongly granted planning approval for a sprawling data centre beside the M25.

Last year, the green light was given for the £1bn development at the Woodlands Park landfill site at Iver in Buckinghamshire.

Campaign groups Foxglove and Global Action Plan brought a case against the government and the developers at the High Court, arguing that the electricity demands of the facility were not properly considered.

In a letter sent to the court, seen by PA Media, the government conceded that the "claim is arguable and the permission should be quashed".

Representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government did not attend the hearing on Thursday.

But in the letter, Carolyn Southey-Jenson, for the Treasury Solicitor department, admitted that the data centre had been approved on the basis that "mitigation measures" could be put in place.

This included the "sourcing of low carbon energy", she explained.

"[The government] no longer considers these could be secured," the letter continues, which represented a "serious logical error".

In June 2024, Buckinghamshire Council rejected plans for the 775,000 sq ft (72,000 sq m) data centre, over concerns it would damage the green belt environment.

But the developers - Greystoke Land and Altrad UK - argued the site would create jobs and could boost biodiversity.

They appealed and the government overturned the council decision in April.

Inspectors acknowledged the potential landscape effects but argued this was outweighed by the need for data centres.

The government said that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was not required.

But barrister David Wolfe KC, for the claimants, disagreed, and pointed out that cooling down computer servers at the centre would have "significant environmental impacts", including greenhouse gas emissions.

Jonathan Welch, for Greystoke Land, argued the claim had been brought on a "false premise" and the decision not to require an EIA was made on an "entirely proper and lawful basis".

Judge Sir Peter Lane gave the go-ahead for the claim to proceed, with the full legal challenge expected to be heard at a later date.

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