Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the suitability of greenfield sites for the development of AI data centres.

My department has made no specific assessment. However, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) sets out that planning policies and decisions should recognise and address the needs of different sectors, including data centres. In determining appropriate locations, the NPPF is also clear that the impacts of the local environment must be considered. Decision makers will need to consider both of these factors when determining whether specific locations, whether greenfield or previously developed land, are appropriate.

Between 16 December 2025 and 10 March 2026, we consulted on a new NPPF. That consultation, which can be found on gov.uk here, included proposals relating to how data centres should be planned for.

We are currently analysing the feedback received and will publish our response in due course.