Aug 04, 2026 | Posted by Abdul-Rahman Oladimeji
The UK government has approved the controversial redevelopment of Truman Brewery into a mixed-use development that includes a data center. Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner granted approval after Tower Hamlets Council rejected the proposal in 2025. Following an appeal by Truman Estates, the project's owner, then-Housing Secretary Steve Reed called in the application, transferring the final decision to the government.
Angela Rayner, on behalf of Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook, approved all four appeals submitted by Truman Estates, clearing the way for the demolition of buildings at 47 Grey Eagle Street behind the Truman Brewery complex to make way for a 5.2MW, 5,266 sqm (56,682 sq ft) data center.
“The building currently on the site is utterly derelict, and home to anti-social and criminal activity. Like the Inspector, she considers the building, through its ruinous state, to be a profoundly negative element of the townscape,” reads the decision.
A petition opposing the data center has gained more than 3,600 signatures over concerns about its environmental impact and suitability for the area. Critics have also argued the site could have been used for housing, with an alternative proposal suggesting 350 homes, including 44 social housing units. However, the government approved the data center plans, and the site already hosts three Digital Realty colocation facilities.
