Developers can wait for democratic elections and rigorous scrutiny.

Green Party Member and Havering Resident-Mark Whiley-today writes in the Havering Daily.

As environmental campaigners met to discuss the potential harms and inappropriate development faced by Havering, Green Party campaigner Mark Whiley calls on councillors to not rush timelines or consultations ahead of next year’s elections.

Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Cllr. Williamson assured me this week that the council remains “a responsible steward of our natural environment” and that developments such as the East Havering Data Centre would be “subject to the Local Planning Authority to rigorously scrutinise”. That planning authority is Havering Council and the scrutiny would come from its Strategic Planning Committee, but this is no ordinary application.

At the request of the developer, the council is preparing documents for a Local Development Order (LDO). This has only been used one other time in Havering’s history – that I’m aware of – and grants automatic planning permission for types of development within a defined area. Due to the freedom this gives developers and the lack of ability for other levels of government to intervene in decisions, it’s becoming more popular. We’re at the stage where the Strategic Planning Committee would need to approve a consultation with stakeholders such as Natural England and the Mayor of London. 

For some consultations, the statutory minimum of 28 days is seen as enough to get feedback. However, we are talking about one of Europe’s largest data centres (if built) and one of the highest in power demand at 600MW in the UK. It’s unlikely that claims of zero carbon in operation are realistic with the sort of generation required from renewables here, and the invest in Warley Substation that is being asked for. You would also assume that stakeholders will want to provide feedback about the area being prone to flooding; the quality of the farmland; whether water supplies can handle both this and a nearby data centre in Thurrock and residential populations; badger setts on the site; and the erosion of swathes of Green Belt. An Environmental Impact Assessment would be, to my mind, likely.

Larger applications should allow up to 8 weeks to engage all stakeholders in the process, and there are already concerns that I’ve heard from North Ockendon residents that local councillors are not engaging with those that are worried about the Data Centre. Indeed, the impact is likely to affect North Ockendon and  neighbouring areas of Cranham, Upminster and South Ockendon in Thurrock.

So what I’m asking members of the Strategic Planning Committee is this. Do not accept a statutory minimum consultation. Give stakeholders the time to respond in full detail. Ensure councillors engage residents, if not through public meetings specifically about the Data Centre, then when they’re asking for their votes. Let this green and pleasant land, the size of 214 football pitches, not be subject to a rushed resolution.

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