Planning for a data centre in London: Are you air quality neutral?

Demand for data centres is increasing at an exponential rate, and within the UK market the majority of sites identified for new build data centres sit in or around London. But when it comes to getting planning permission for a site in the capital, developers must prove their data centre is Air Quality Neutral. Fiona Prismall discusses the challenge this raises and how to tackle it.

Air pollution in London is widespread and as a significant public health issue it sits high on the political agenda. Part of a number of measures designed to tackle this, the London Plan dictates that major developments (over 1000 m²) must be at least Air Quality Neutral.

Failure to demonstrate that the data centre is Air Quality Neutral runs the risk of planning permission being denied. So understanding the air quality impacts and how to mitigate these is a crucial step in ensuring a resilient and efficient planning strategy.

RPS is a leading global professional services firm. They work across six sectors: property, energy, transport, water, resources, defence and government services. Gresham House Strategic PLC (LON:GHS) has a holding in RPS plc.

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