PLANS for a £1.3 billion artificial intelligence data centre, off a major Essex road, have been given the go-ahead reports the Local Democracy Reporter.
The major development, located off Nevedon Road in Wickford, next to the A127, is expected to create around 4,450 jobs during both the construction and operational phases. It is expected to take seven years to build and will reportedly contribute £60 million to the economy during its construction, as well as an estimated £15.4 million each year.
Basildon Council’s planning committee agreed the plans at a meeting on Tuesday (September 29).
Conservative and Reform councillors hit out at the plans and raised concerns about the impact on the nearby Dogs Trust rescue centre.
Andrew Schrader, a Conservative councillor for Billericay East, raised various concerns, including the impact on greenbelt land.
He told the meeting: “Obviously, the elephant in the room is that this is an application in the greenbelt, in more than seven hectares of it. The report underscores there is very high harm identified in terms of urban sprawl and coalescence and high harm in terms of encroachment into the countryside. We also have some feedback from the county heritage officer about the harm to the setting of a Grade II listed heritage asset, so these are not inconsiderable hurdles.”
Georgina Brotherton told the meeting the plans include “substantial benefits.”
She added: “This application has been several years in the making, we’ve worked very closely with your officers as part of the process, as well as key consultees and have thought very carefully about the design and how Basildon can capture the substantial benefits while minimising any impacts.
“Economically, this would represent a £1.3billion investment in a piece of critical national infrastructure, which as your economic team and the chamber of commerce has said, will act as a catalyst for even more investment in the area. The scheme would provide £1.8 million in financial contributions and a further voluntary contribution of £2 million to a new education fund. It will put Basildon on the map as a centre of the growing data economy.”
Speaking in support of the application, Bill Marshall, said: “Committee members are to consider this application, which is of great importance to Wickford, Basildon, Essex and the wider United Kingdom. Data centres are classed as principal national infrastructure and can be considered under the special circumstances. The benefits certainly do outweigh any perceived harm. This data centre proposal provides improved and enhanced infrastructure, large inward project investment funding, business employment and educational opportunities, NHS health care and service facilities, defence features, connectivity to the wider data centre network.”
