London Approves Controversial Brick Lane Data Center
Plans to build offices and a data center in Brick Lane, East London, have been approved. The decision was made on Wednesday 29th July by British Labour minister Matthew Pennycook on behalf of his boss, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner, according to The Standard.
Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman said the decision is “deeply disappointing and a missed opportunity to deliver the social and affordable housing that Tower Hamlets residents urgently need.”
Plans for the data center
The brewery currently consists of pop-up shops, restaurants, and bars. Truman Estates owner Zeloof LLC plans to demolish several buildings around Brick Lane to make way for the data centre at 47 Grey Eagle Street. The data center would be 5,266 sqm (56,682 sq ft) and approximately 29 meters (95 feet) tall.
“The vision for the site in the heart of Brick Lane is to deliver a data center which has broad market appeal and adaptability to demand, which is designed and benchmarked against industry best practices and trends,” Planning consultants DP9, working on behalf of Truman Estates, said in the original application letter, submitted in August 2024.
Backlash against the data center
Campaigner Jonathan Moberly told Tower Hamlets Silce that said “data centers are not wanted at all’ in Spitalfields and Banglatown. ” “A data center, office blocks, are completely inappropriate in a borough with the biggest housing crisis in Britain.”
Rahman told The Standard that he is concerned about “the impact this development could have on Brick Lane and Banglatown.”
“Tower Hamlets is facing an acute housing crisis, with over 30,000 households on the waiting list and thousands of families living in overcrowded conditions,” he adds.
There is also an environmental impact from data centers, as they often consume large amounts of water and energy. Last year, the BBC reported that the number of data centers in the UK is set to increase by almost a fifth. Over half of these new data centers would be located in London and neighboring counties.
Image: LDRS
