Hounslow Council has approved plans for a new data centre in West London, despite significant concerns over its electricity and water consumption. The decision was made at a Planning Committee meeting on Thursday, August 6, with the facility set to be built on a 12.2-acre brownfield site at the interchange of Great South-West Road and The Parkway in the Haslemere Heathrow Estate.
Approval despite environmental concerns
The data centre will require a new 80MVA (Megavolt-Amperes) high-capacity power connection, which is equivalent to the electricity demand of tens of thousands of homes. This raised alarms among councillors and environmental groups, especially given West London's existing electricity capacity shortages.
Green Party Councillor Guy Lambert voiced strong opposition, questioning the availability of electricity in the region. He stated: "Are we convinced that there's electricity availability because we know there is a shortage of electricity availability in West London and this thing will take up enough power to - my friend who knows about these things says it's the same as 550,000 houses."
In response, a council planning officer reassured the committee that the developer's utility agreements ensure the energy will be imported directly from the National Energy System Operator via the Laleham Grid Supply Point. Since this is routed entirely from outside Hounslow's boundaries, it will not drain existing electrical capacity earmarked for other developments, such as new housing.
Water supply concerns remain unresolved
However, no information was provided on how the data centre will affect local water supplies, despite the known high water consumption of such facilities for cooling servers. This is particularly concerning as London is currently experiencing an official drought.
In May, Affinity Water, which supplies parts of Hounslow, told MPs that some data centres were requesting up to 3 million litres of water a day, equivalent to the peak water demand of 3,500 homes. This highlights the potential strain on water resources.
Job creation projections questioned
Cllr Lambert also expressed scepticism about the job creation projections. Council documents indicate that 210 operational jobs will be created, with 90 within the data centre and 120 in the SME units. However, this represents a net gain of just two jobs, as 10 active businesses and 208 existing workers will be displaced from the estate by 2027.
He said: "They've cooked up something which mysteriously comes up with 210 jobs as a result of this development... I'm very sceptical that this will provide 210 jobs or more than about 10 jobs actually."
Mitigation measures and community impact
To address some concerns, the scheme includes up to 4,150 square metres of flexible work units designed for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), mitigating the loss of traditional employment space. The Greater London Authority's (GLA) initial Stage 1 report had previously warned that the scheme did not fully comply with the London Plan, citing concerns over transport, and high water and energy intensity.
Under the approved terms, the developer must submit a strategy to minimise operational water consumption. Environmental groups also expressed concern over potential noise disruptions to local wildlife along the adjacent River Crane corridor. To address this, the committee imposed strict mechanical noise limits, including cumulative rating levels from the data centre's cooling plant.
Section 106 contributions and public response
The council also secured environmental and infrastructure contributions through the Section 106 Agreement. This includes £100,000 allocated to TfL for a cycling and pedestrian safety feasibility study at the junction of The Parkway (A312) and Great South-West Road (A30), following a history of collisions. There will also be a contribution of £2,750 for every £1 million of construction costs paid to Hounslow Council to train local residents in technology and engineering.
Additionally, the agreement secures affordable workspace for SMEs at a rental discount of 45% below market rate, subject to final viability testing.
Out of 450 neighbours formally notified of the proposals by post, and four site notices posted on nearby streets, only one formal resident objection was received. The objection focused on power capacity and noise from cooling units. Cranford Primary School, located nearby, wrote a letter of support, welcoming the developer's initiatives to improve local safety, pedestrian crossings, and green space near the school.
Decision and next steps
All councillors present voted in favour of the plans apart from Cllr Lambert, who voted against. The plans will now go before the Mayor of London for Stage 2 approval.
