‘Say No to the Data Centre’: Havering Residents Take to the Streets Over Green Belt Plans

9th November 20269th November 2026 Francesca Lilleystone 0 Comments Data Centre, East Havering, Fen Lane, North Ockendon, Protest min read

Havering residents took to the streets on Saturday afternoon (November 7) to protest against proposals for a large data centre on green belt land at Fen Lane, North Ockendon, voicing concerns about the potential impact on the environment, local infrastructure and the quality of life of nearby communities.

Organised by the campaign group Say No to the East Havering Data Centre, the protest saw residents hand out leaflets and speak to passers-by about their objections to the proposed development.

Campaigners say Fen Lane, a rural country lane surrounded by green belt countryside and wildlife, is the wrong location for a major data centre. They fear the development could place additional pressure on energy and water resources, damage the local environment and affect residents’ lives.

The campaign forms part of a wider national movement opposing large-scale data centre developments. The group says it stands alongside other campaign organisations representing 13 communities across the UK, collectively claiming to represent more than 12 million residents.

A spokesperson for Say No to the East Havering Data Centre said:

‘The group for No to East Havering Data Centre stands together with other groups that represent 13 communities – totalling over 12 million residents in the UK – that were mobilised over the weekend across the UK to say enough is enough: it is time for an immediate moratorium on large scale datacentres until government addresses the catastrophic impact they will have on our bills, environment, health and wellbeing, and general quality of life. If the UK government and local Councils truly care about “investing in communities”, it’s time to pause construction and listen to the 12 million people and counting we collectively represent from these impacted communities. Investing in communities is not just about the perceived business rates promised.

When progress demands the sacrifice of our homes, our grids, our water, our land, our climate and our future, it is no longer progress. It is not democratic. It is just plunder. Communities are unwilling to foot the bill for an AI boom that worsens living standards and will put many more households into fuel poverty. The momentum and pressure to hit the pause button on new data centre development is growing both nationally and internationally.

With this in mind, and along with the seriously alarming factual responses returned from statutory consultees to the Local Development Order consultation in the Spring, we feel it’s imperative for Havering Council, under this new administration, to set an example, demonstrate informed decision-making and sound judgement and refuse this Local Development Order now.’

The campaign group is calling on Havering Council to refuse the proposed Local Development Order (LDO), arguing that the concerns raised during the consultation process should be fully considered before any decision is made.

The protest comes amid growing debate over the expansion of data centres and the potential demands they may place on electricity, water and land.

For residents campaigning against the Fen Lane proposals, the message is clear: they want the council to listen to local concerns and reconsider the plans before the development progresses any further.