United Kingdom: Plans for a new data center in Buckinghamshire, UK return following legal challenge
Jun 19, 2023 | Posted by MadalineDunn
Following a successful legal challenge, Link Park Heathrow’s plans for a new data center in Buckinghamshire are going ahead. First filed in December 2020, the company was seeking to demolish the existing buildings at its site on Thorney Mill Road in Iver to develop a 55,000 sqm (592,000 sq ft) data center with offices and an on-site substation. The facility would be three stories high, offering 60 MW across a total of 16,850 sqm (181,400 sq ft) of IT space.
When the company failed to receive a decision from the Buckinghamshire and Hillingdon Councils, it took its proposal and appealed to the UK Planning Inspectorate, who rejected its appeal.
The UK’s Inspectorate’s decision was made on the grounds that the development would “conflict” with the area’s development plan and “harm” the Green Belt area of outer London.
“The development would also have an adverse effect upon the air quality levels in Buckinghamshire and Hillingdon and would not also provide appropriate employment opportunities for the occupiers of Buckinghamshire,” the Inspectorate said.
It has been announced that Link Park has now been successful in the High Court, which identified errors in the planning inspector’s decision. This means that its plans are now back on the table.
When the company failed to receive a decision from the Buckinghamshire and Hillingdon Councils, it took its proposal and appealed to the UK Planning Inspectorate, who rejected its appeal.
The UK’s Inspectorate’s decision was made on the grounds that the development would “conflict” with the area’s development plan and “harm” the Green Belt area of outer London.
“The development would also have an adverse effect upon the air quality levels in Buckinghamshire and Hillingdon and would not also provide appropriate employment opportunities for the occupiers of Buckinghamshire,” the Inspectorate said.
It has been announced that Link Park has now been successful in the High Court, which identified errors in the planning inspector’s decision. This means that its plans are now back on the table.