Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to ensure growth of the data centre sector is compatible with (a) wider land use and (b) environmental objectives.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the government's planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. In 2024, this was updated to provide particular support to key industries such as digital infrastructure, including data centres, as drivers of growth across the economy. Additionally, the government are proposing Data centres to be included as a type of development that could be capable of being directed to proceed through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) regime. This Government will publish a National Policy Statement (NPS) on data centres which will provide a clear policy framework for site selection, emphasising locations that minimise conflicts with housing, agriculture, and other strategic land uses.

In regard to environmental objectives, some UK data centre operators are implementing energy-efficient measures under a Climate Change Agreement, and our Clean Power Action Plan will support the growth of new energy intensive industries like data centres. As many new data centres have a large energy requirement, the AI Energy Council is working with regulators, energy firms, and tech companies to secure sustainable power. We also encourage developers to plan for water availability, prioritize non-potable use, embed efficiency and reuse, and engage early with suppliers.