Planners Warn of Environmental and Resource Pressures Amid UK’s AI Expansion Drive

A new Google datacentre in Essex, part of a growing wave of “hyperscale” computing facilities, is expected to emit over 570,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, according to recently disclosed planning documents. The Thurrock site, spanning 52 hectares, could become one of the UK’s largest datacentres if approved, and its environmental impact has sparked debate as the government pushes to boost AI infrastructure. The facility, proposed by a subsidiary of Alphabet, would be located on former speedway and stock car track land, and its carbon footprint is equivalent to around 500 short-haul flights per week, according to the UN’s International Civil Aviation Organization.

Campaigners argue that the surge in datacentre construction could significantly increase the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions and strain power and water resources. They criticize the government for prioritizing tech investment over environmental concerns, warning that the UK could face rising energy costs and environmental degradation if it continues to approve such projects. The planning documents reveal that the Thurrock datacentre would lead to a net increase in greenhouse gas emissions of 568,727 tonnes of CO₂e per year during the operational phase. This is a major concern for environmental groups like Foxglove, which has called the facility’s emissions “several times higher than those of an international airport.”

Meanwhile, the UK government maintains that datacentres will not significantly impact its carbon budget due to its decarbonization goals, but it is concerned about falling behind global competitors in AI capacity. A July research paper from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology warned that without massive investment in new datacentres, the UK risks a “compute gap” that could undermine national security, economic growth, and its ambition to lead in AI.

The push for AI infrastructure aligns with a broader international effort, including planned deals between the UK and US tech giants like Nvidia and OpenAI. A £10bn datacentre project near Blyth in Northumberland, built on the site of a former coal-fired power station, has already received planning permission and is expected to be central to a UK-US deal involving Nvidia and OpenAI. Reports also suggest that Google is in early-stage talks about building a massive datacentre on Teesside.

According to the House of Commons library, datacentres currently consume about 2.5% of the UK’s electricity, and demand is expected to increase fourfold by 2030. This growing demand has raised concerns about the strain on the national grid and the UK’s ability to meet the energy needs of its expanding AI industry.

As the UK prepares for a state visit by US President Donald Trump, discussions around AI and datacentre expansion are expected to intensify. The government is under pressure to balance its climate commitments with the need to attract investment in cutting-edge technology. However, critics argue that the current approach risks prioritizing corporate interests over public welfare, with potential consequences for the environment, energy costs, and water availability.

In addition to the Essex project, Google has also been linked to a potential datacentre on Teesside, which could further expand the company’s footprint in the UK. Meanwhile, Bain & Company, a global business consultancy, has warned that AI and datacentres could account for 2% of global emissions and 17% of industrial emissions by 2035, with the impact being most severe in countries where fossil fuels still dominate power generation.

Google has not yet commented on its planning application for the Thurrock site, but it has previously stated that it is committed to sustainability goals, including the use of renewable energy in its operations. However, the scale of the Thurrock project has raised questions about how effectively these goals can be achieved in the face of such a large and energy-intensive facility.

As the UK moves forward with its AI strategy, the debate over the environmental and economic trade-offs of expanding datacentre infrastructure is likely to continue, with environmental groups and policymakers calling for greater scrutiny and regulation of the sector.