Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 9
Angela Rayner Approves London Datacentre Plan With 44 Homes, Replacing Council-Backed 350
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 9

Angela Rayner Approves London Datacentre Plan With 44 Homes, Replacing Council-Backed 350

2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 9

Summary

  • Rayner approved redevelopment of east London’s old Truman Brewery site with a datacentre, offices and 44 homes after her predecessor had called in the project.
  • The decision overrode a local council-backed scheme centered on 350 dwellings, sharpening concerns that datacentre growth is crowding out housing in the capital.
  • A December London Assembly report had already found datacentres’ electricity demands were stalling housebuilding, while Whitehall still aims to triple the UK’s datacentre count by 2030.
  • Pressure is also rising over environmental costs: Water UK says official forecasts exclude facilities that can use up to 5 million gallons a day, and research suggests nearby sites can raise local temperatures by 2C on average.

Insights

Why did a prime London site build a massive datacentre instead of hundreds of desperately needed local homes?
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