Outline plans for a 5,100 sqm data centre in Hemel Hempstead have been granted by the borough council.

The proposal, submitted in September 2024, earmarks Blue Box Storage on Marylands Avenue for redevelopment.

A planning officer recommended that permission be granted subject to further details being submitted, namely, the appearance, landscaping, layout and scale of the development.

“The illustrative plans demonstrate that an acceptable scheme in these terms can be accommodated on the site and, in particular, that satisfactory space for landscaping and tree planting to the Maylands Avenue frontage would be available, together with suitable height setbacks to help mitigate the impact of the proposal on the street scene,” the report read.

Documents attached to the plans reveal the existing building will be demolished to make way for ancillary offices, a substation, car parking and external plant and servicing areas.

The applicant believes that the current premises is “no longer suitable” for the modern occupiers requirements. 

“The proposed development would secure the site’s long-term employment function whilst responding to an important opportunity to deliver a data centre use, for which there is demand (yet few suitable sites) and increasing policy support at the national level,” a planning statement added.

The development plan is thought to bring social, economic and environmental benefits to the area and the wider borough “without significant effects”.

A data centre is a facility that houses an organisation’s critical IT infrastructure, including servers, storage systems, and networking equipment, to store, process, and distribute data and applications. They are designed to ensure the availability, security, and performance of these vital IT resources.

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