Data Centre

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Dear Sir/Madam, Please find below my objections to planning application 25/1781/FUL for a Data Centre campus on the site of the former Mercure Hotel and land adjoining, Tylers Way Watford Hertfordshire. This objection should be taken as my separate and individual submission in accordance with your agreed policy. 1. The site lies within the Metropolitan Green Belt, with over half comprising previously undeveloped land. The proposal constitutes inappropriate development, contrary to Hertsmere Local Plan Policy SP2, the Emerging Local Plan Green Belt policies, and NPPF paragraphs 153–155. No very special circumstances have been demonstrated. Even if parts are argued to be “grey belt”, the scale, intensity and permanence of the proposal remain inappropriate and would undermine Green Belt purposes, particularly openness. 2.The proposal comprises four towers exceeding 39 metres in height with a total floorspace of over 137,000 sqm. This represents substantial overdevelopment in terms of height, massing and scale, contrary to Policies SP1, CS1 and SADM11. The clustered towers would amplify perceived scale, result in skyline creep, and cause lasting harm to the semi-rural character of the A41 corridor. The loss of openness and overbearing visual impact conflicts with NPPF paragraphs 136 and 139. 3.The construction phase is expected to last 9–10 years. The absence of a Construction Traffic Management Plan is unacceptable for a full application of this scale. Prolonged construction traffic, noise, dust and vibration would cause severe and sustained harm to residential amenity, contrary to Policy SADM2 and NPPF paragraph 187. The A41 is an important arterial road. 4. The submitted Noise Assessment acknowledges night-time exceedances above background levels at multiple receptors. Repeated exceedances will materially harm residential amenity and sleep quality, contrary to Policy SADM2 and NPPF paragraph 198. In addition, the scale and intensity of plant and electrical infrastructure raise fire risk concerns that have not been adequately assessed. 5. The development would harm biodiversity and ecological connectivity and fails to demonstrate meaningful biodiversity net gain, contrary to Policies SP1 and SADM13 and NPPF paragraphs 174 and 180. The Environment Agency has raised concerns regarding surface water, drainage and water quality. Insufficient evidence has been provided to show these impacts can be adequately mitigated, conflicting with Policy SADM 14. 6. The proposal’s electricity demand is exceptional and fundamentally incompatible with local and national climate objectives. The Climate Change department confirms that the development would consume approximately 1,910 GWh of electricity per year, which is around 4.5 times the total current annual electricity consumption of the entire Borough of Hertsmere. 7. Operational emissions cannot be regarded as negligible, as this demand would be met largely from the national grid rather than from new, additional renewable generation, with reliance instead on the purchase of “certified renewable electricity”. This approach fails to mitigate real-world carbon impacts and conflicts with Local Plan Policies SP1 and CS15, the emerging Local Plan’s strengthened climate change policies, and NPPF paragraphs 161 and 164, which requires development to support the transition to a low-carbon future and minimise greenhouse gas emissions. 8. In addition, water demand equivalent to approximately 15,000 residents in a water-stressed area, together with unresolved wastewater infrastructure capacity constraints identified by statutory consultees, demonstrates that the proposal is environmentally unsustainable. For these reasons, the proposal conflicts with adopted and emerging planning policy and should be refused. Yours faithfully,

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