New £1.3bn data centre plans approved by council

Basildon Council has approved plans for the new data centre

Plans to build a £1.3bn data centre have been given approval by a council.

The facility will be constructed on land near the A127 and Old Nevendon Road in Wickford in Essex.

Basildon Council's planning committee granted permission for the site at a meeting on Thursday, with the authority's Labour cabinet member for jobs and skills, Jessica Power, saying it put "Basildon at the heart of the UK's AI revolution".

The site will be built by developer Caineal, which says it is "proud to be investing in Basildon and helping to position it as a centre of technological excellence".

Basildon Council said the development represented "one of the largest single private investments in the borough's history" and would create 600 jobs during construction as well as 120 permanent high-skilled roles.

The new data centre is set to create 120 permanent jobs

During the planning process, objections were made over fears the facility would harm the area.

Wickford Town Council said the proposal was against green belt policy, and it raised concerns about the urban sprawl between Basildon and Wickford.

Basildon Council said there would be a commitment to on-site "biodiversity net gain" - this is where a development will result in more or better quality natural habitat than there was before it was built.