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Huge building plans revealed for green belt land

Martin HeathBuckinghamshire political reporter
News imageGetty Images A brightly lit data centre corridor filled with rows of tall server racks enclosed in glass cabinets. Multicoloured cables and LED lights glow in purple, blue, and red tones, reflecting off a glossy floor. Cooling panels and network equipment line both sides, creating a symmetrical, high-tech environment. Some black scribble marks appear over parts of the image.Getty Images
Applications are being submitted for data centres across the country

Plans for two huge building projects have been revealed for green belt land close to a group of rural villages.

The proposals for 610 houses and a data centre have been submitted for sites near Iver and Denham in south Buckinghamshire.

Developers say the land cannot be considered as a genuine part of the green belt and argue that both projects are essential.

One resident said the area was "under attack from all fronts now".

News imageGoogle A rural access road is blocked by a red-and-white metal barrier gate secured across the entrance. Traffic cones line the road beyond the gate, leading into open fields. A small sign on the left warns against unauthorised access, and hedges and vegetation border the entrance. In the background, a large electricity pylon and overhead power lines stretch across a cloudy sky. Provide your feedback on BizChatGoogle
The data centre would be created on a site used for car boot sales

Mulberry Commercial Developments, which is behind the proposed 60,000 sq m (71,759 sq yard) data centre, said there was a "rapidly-growing need for data storage and processing capacity" driven by increased data use in everyday life.

They added that, while the site was designated green belt, which should be protected from development, it did not "perform the function of preventing unrestricted sprawl or preserving the setting and special character of historic towns".

News imageOwen Espley A close-up portrait shows Owen Espley with grey hair and beard facing the camera indoors, wearing a light blue button-up shirt. The background is softly blurred, with shelves holding books and household items on one side and what appears to be a wardrobe or mirror on the other. The lighting is even and natural, with neutral tones throughout the room, creating a calm, domestic setting.Owen Espley
Owen Espley from Global Action Plan said green belt land should not be sacrificed for data centres

But Owen Espley, from the pressure group Global Action Plan, said: "I can really understand why communities are up in arms about data centres being rushed through and being built on green belt land.

"Sacrificing that and all the green belt has done to stop urban sprawl, is a real risk to people's quality of life."

The data centre would be housed in two buildings either side of a public road and their maximum height would be 18m (20 yards).

News imageGoogle A roadside scene shows a white, two‑storey pub called the “Red Lion” with a small car park in front, where several vehicles are parked. A black pub sign mounted on a tall post stands to the left, and a road sign in the foreground points towards Uxbridge. The pub is surrounded by greenery and trees, with a grassy verge and pavement along the road. Overhead, a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds stretches above the scene, and lampposts and utility poles line the roadside.Google
The new houses would be built near the Red Lion pub in Iver

Danescroft, the company behind the plan for 610 houses in Shreding Green near Iver, said Buckinghamshire Council did not have a five-year housing land supply and this development would make "a meaningful contribution towards addressing that shortfall".

It added that the land would be seen as grey belt rather than green belt because it did not restrict sprawl near a large built-up area nor preserve the character of historic towns.

Tom Broom, a Conservative councillor, said: "The government's designation of grey belt land, extending far beyond the limits of traditional brownfield sites, is allowing developers to make a pitch for any green space that they want to get access to."

A government spokesperson said the redesignation of land as grey belt would "unlock more land for the homes and infrastructure communities desperately need, delivering sustainable, affordable and well-designed developments".

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