The UK government has decided that a US firm, Affinius Capital, can move forward with plans for a major datacentre in Iver, Buckinghamshire. This follows a local council’s refusal from November 2022, where the council blocked the project over concerns about using Green Belt land. These areas are safeguarded to prevent urban sprawl.
When the Labour government took power in July 2024, they promised to revisit this decision as part of their push to boost economic growth through significant infrastructure projects. Affinius Capital appealed the council’s decision, leading to a public inquiry in June 2024.
After reviewing the inquiry’s findings and the council’s decision, the government granted permission for the datacentre to go ahead. The approval came in a letter dated December 6, 2024, and was signed by Minister of State for Housing and Planning, Matthew Pennycook, on behalf of Secretary of State Angela Rayner.
The letter outlined key factors favoring the project: the growing demand for datacentres, potential reductions in heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic, and benefits related to heritage and job creation, which were deemed significant. On the flip side, concerns about the negative impact on Green Belt land, a nearby listed building, and the surrounding landscape were substantial.
Rayner acknowledged “very special circumstances” that justified building in the Green Belt and concluded that the project should proceed. However, the decision can still be challenged in the High Court within six weeks.
In addition, Affinius Capital’s datacentre was one of two projects under government review in July 2024. The other project, proposed by Greystoke Land for a £1 billion datacentre in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire, was also denied in January 2024 and is currently under appeal. As of now, the government has yet to make a decision on that project.
Efforts to reach Affinius Capital for a comment did not yield a response before publication.