In a surprising turn of events, the British government has been forced to admit that its own planning approval for a major AI datacentre in Buckinghamshire should be quashed. This decision comes after campaigners successfully challenged the approval, arguing that the government failed to properly consider the climate impact of the proposed centre.
The datacentre, known as the West London Technology Park, was set to be built on greenbelt land next to the M25 motorway. It was touted as having the potential to attract £1 billion in foreign direct investment and was seen as a key part of the government’s strategy to accelerate the construction of such facilities to support the growing digital economy.
However, environmental groups raised concerns about the centre’s carbon emissions and water usage, accusing the government of being too accepting of the developer’s assurances about the environmental impact. They claimed the approval was unlawful, and it appears they have now been vindicated.
In a statement, the government conceded that the reasons for not requiring an environmental impact assessment were “inadequate” and that “permission should be quashed”. This marks an “embarrassing climbdown” for the authorities, according to campaigners.
“It shouldn’t take us having to drag the government to court for them to admit their decision to back big tech’s polluting datacentres was fundamentally wrong,” said Rosa Curling, a co-executive director of the tech equity organisation Foxglove.
The case is a blow to the government’s strategy of prioritising the rapid construction of datacentres to attract investment from technology companies. In 2024, the government designated datacentres as critical national infrastructure, recognising their importance to the British economy.
However, the U-turn suggests that the government may need to take a more cautious and thorough approach when it comes to approving such projects, particularly in light of growing public concern about the environmental impact of the proliferation of datacentres across the UK.
“People across the UK are increasingly concerned about datacentres’ proliferation and what it means for access to water and power,” said Sonja Graham, the chief executive of the environmental charity Global Action Plan. “The government being asleep at the wheel like this will do nothing to reassure them.”
The government’s admission that it made a “serious logical error” in its approval process for the Buckinghamshire datacentre is a humbling moment, and one that may prompt a rethinking of its approach to such infrastructure projects going forward.
