Locals in a picturesque green belt village have gone to war with Angela Rayner over plans for a sprawling 84,000 sq metre data centre in a field.
A public inquiry is currently underway over the £1 billion project, set to be built next to the M25 in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire.
The data centre would hold information or the NHS and financial centre.
Local councils have blocked the application but an appeal was lodged with the government planning inspectorate in June, after Labour came into power.
A government pledge has been to build on greenbelt land.
A public inquiry is currently underway over a £1 billion project set to be built next to the M25 in Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire
Locals in a picturesque green belt village have gone to war with Angela Rayner (pictured) over plans for a sprawling 84,000 sq metre data centre in a field
Residents are against the proposed data centre in Abbot’s Langley, Herts
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner will now have the final say, following a six day inquiry which ends next week.
This month the new Government designated data centres as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), which means that previously rejected planning proposals such as this one are being revisited.
This has sparked huge fears in the village that the project will be accepted.
It is proposed by investment company Greystoke Land, and would sprawl over 84,000 sq metres across two buildings 65ft tall.
Main concerns from villagers is if it is accepted, it would overrun a democratically elected decision to oppose it.
Noise, pollution, loss of green-belt land and traffic, along with loss of character, are also major concerns.
Ray Bratt, 74, who has lived in the village for 70 years, said it would ‘totally ruin’ the area.
The retired finance director said: ‘It’s shocking what they want to do. Why here? Nobody has put forward a convincing argument as to why it should be placed on a field next to our village. It makes no sense.
The data centre is proposed by investment company Greystoke Land, and would sprawl over 84,000 sq metres across two buildings 65ft tall
Noise, pollution, loss of green-belt land and traffic, along with loss of character, are major concerns of local residents
Pictured – Sally(56) and James (57) Felstead who oppose the development
Pictured – The fields earmarked for development
‘The building of such a project itself would be horrendous. There’s been no consideration for locals. This is greenbelt land. Why on earth would they put it here?
‘I love this village. The village is my life. It’s beautiful. Of course it’s got bigger over the years, there’s been extra housing and that is great. Things change, I get that.
‘But a giant data centre? Why not on industrial land? There would surely be loads of places more suitable.’
He said he was concerned money and investment brought in would not benefit locals.
He added: ‘There’s not a shortage of jobs here. Why not put it where there is? There must be areas up north crying out for huge new investment?
‘The location is terrible. It will destroy the village. The traffic would be a nightmare. We have homes here which are hundreds of years old. It will be ruining all of that beauty and history.’
Mum-of-four Emma Allen lives in a row of homes which sits right next to the proposed site.
The 38-year-old said: ‘It will be hell. The noise, pollution will be a nightmare. It’s a green field. Why here? It will ruin life for hundreds of people. When it would be put on industrial land.
Pictured – Emma Allen, 38, stands in front of the fields for development
Pictured – Ray Bratt, 74 who opposes the development
‘I’ve got a young family. The noise will disturb them greatly. We moved here because it’s beautiful. All of that will be destroyed.’
Emma said local opinion was also united, adding: ‘This isn’t just a few locals moaning. We are all as one.
‘I have not spoken to a single person who thinks it’s a good idea. How will this benefit my children when they grow up? Will it even be there and operational when they are older?’
Trevor Ringdon, 65, also said the plans were ‘diabolical,’ with the retired driver adding: ‘There’s not a single good reason to put it there. I am staggered by the whole thing. I will move. And many others will as well.’
Couple James and Sarah Felstead are also in opposition and have thoroughly researched the situation.
The couple’s jobs give them a good insight into the repercussions of the centre. Sarah, 56, is a digital video producer and James, 57, is the director of energy storage for a renewable energy company.
Sarah says: ‘The problem is that people think all their data lives in ‘the cloud’, when actually it’s been stored in these massive warehouses full of computer servers that only last seven years if you’re lucky, and require vast amounts of energy to run and keep cool.
‘Every councillor, from all political parties, is in opposition to this. There is no joint-up approach to energy in this country as well. It’s random and sporadic. ‘It’s such a random location.
Local councils have blocked the application but an appeal was lodged with the government planning inspectorate in June, after Labour came into power
Pictured – The fields earmarked for development
‘The whole area is rural. There’s huge old buildings. It’s totally undemocratic.’
James added: ‘Whatever happened to levelling up the north? Why not put it there? The developers knew exactly what they were doing, to appeal when a Labour government was in.’
‘They’ve looked at brownfield sites but I think those are more expensive. Is Abbots Langley the very best or just the very cheapest field?’
But Greystoke described Abbots Langley as an ‘ideal’ location for a new data centre.
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A spokesperson said: ‘The UK needs multiple large data centres to support economic growth and digital leadership.
Ray Bratt, 74, who has lived in the village for 70 years, said it would ‘totally ruin’ the area
‘Failing to build in North West London will mean employers and investors will look to Amsterdam, Dublin, Frankfurt and Paris instead.
‘Cloud data centres have very specific technical requirements in terms of fibre connections, power and proximity to other data centres.
‘Abbots Langley Data Centre is ideally located to meet these criteria. The project, next to the M25, will attract more than £1 billion of investment and help to secure thousands of digital jobs across the country.’
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