Councillors have accepted the huge Abbotts Langley data centre now looks set to go ahead after Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner gave it the all-clear.

Greystoke Land’s £1 billion, 84,000 sq m scheme, earmarked for a field by Bedmond Road, was originally refused by Three Rivers District Council, a decision which was appealed by the applicant.

The Government called the scheme in and last weekend announced it could go ahead and, despite the council looking into a possible judicial review, the authority has now conceded there would be little hope of success.

Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst, leader of the council, said: “I’m naturally deeply disappointed in the Secretary of State’s decision to overturn our refusal to grant outline planning permission to build an 84,000sqm data centre on our precious Green Belt in Abbots Langley.

“Despite the people of Abbots Langley and further afield not welcoming this application and us fighting tooth and nail to protect this green space, both the Planning Inspector and the Secretary of State believed that the data centre did not constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt, even though they acknowledged that it would result in landscape and visual harm to the area and to the heritage assets at the Tithe Barn and Mansion House Farmhouse.

“In my view, as leader of Three Rivers District Council, there is little gain for the village apart from an extra country park and some low-level employment. What this decision means is putting up with mega warehouse-type buildings across our Green Belt.

“However, given the decision, we must now work to ensure the promised so-called benefits to the village are delivered, ensuring the funds for local projects are received.

“The site will generate a lot of additional heat which could be used locally, and we must ensure all the protection and tree planting is delivered to shield those eyesores on the landscape and manage how it’s built with the least disruption possible”.

“We will fight on to protect our green space and ensure we get the best deal for the district and for our residents.”

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