Plans for AI data centre approved by council

Plans for an AI data centre in Kent have been approved by Canterbury City Council.

Era4, a British technology infrastructure company, sought planning permission for the site near the Shelford Landfill in Broad Oak, Canterbury.

The company said the brownfield site, previously used as a composting facility and now for general storage, provided an "opportunity to make efficient use of land and to connect to an on-site source of renewable energy".

Despite concerns around the plans' water cooling system and water usage, the council's planning committee approved it with four votes in favour, three abstentions and one against, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

During a council meeting on 21 July, councillor Ian Stockley said the plans seemed "incredibly wasteful of our natural resources".

Era4, who rebranded from Carbon3.AI in March, said its closed-loop cooling system would only be used in "periods when the outside temperature was above 25 degrees".

Its water usage statement said the proposed facility is expected to use up to 1804 gallons (8.2m³ ) a day, which it said remained below South East Water's suggested 4399 gallons (20m³) .

Councillor Michael Dixey said that "water usage is obviously a massive concern" and asked if a lower usage limit could be imposed.

Simon Thomas, head of planning at Canterbury City Council, said the proposed usage was "equivalent to about 60 households, so it's not a significant use of water comparatively".

Residents near Shelford Landfill previously said it had become a "mountain" of rubbish and caused a "sickening" smell.

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