Canterbury City Council has approved plans for a new artificial intelligence data centre near Shelford Landfill in Broad Oak, Canterbury, despite concerns over its water consumption and cooling system.
The project was proposed by Era4, a British technology infrastructure company formerly known as Carbon3.AI, which rebranded in March.
The company intends to develop the facility on a brownfield site previously used as a composting facility and currently serving as a general storage area. Era4 described the location as an opportunity to use land efficiently and connect the development to an on-site renewable energy source.
Concerns Over Water Consumption
The proposal attracted questions about the amount of water the data centre would require, particularly for cooling.
At a council meeting on 21 July, councillor Ian Stockley criticised the plans, describing them as “incredibly wasteful of our natural resources”.
Era4 said its proposed closed-loop cooling system would only be used when outdoor temperatures exceeded 25°C.
According to the company’s water usage statement, the facility could consume up to 1,804 gallons, or 8.2 cubic metres, of water per day. Era4 said this would remain below the 4,399 gallons, or 20 cubic metres, suggested by South East Water.
Councillor Michael Dixey said water consumption was a major concern and questioned whether a lower usage limit could be imposed on the development.
Simon Thomas, Canterbury City Council’s head of planning, said the proposed consumption was equivalent to the water usage of approximately 60 households, describing it as relatively insignificant compared with other uses.
Planning Committee Approves Development
Despite the concerns, the council’s planning committee approved the application. The decision received four votes in favour, one against and three abstentions, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The approval clears a planning hurdle for Era4’s proposed data centre, although the debate has highlighted questions about the environmental impact of facilities supporting the growing artificial intelligence industry.
Landfill Concerns in the Area
The proposed development is located near Shelford Landfill, which has previously drawn complaints from nearby residents.
Residents have described the landfill as a “mountain” of rubbish and raised concerns about a “sickening” smell coming from the site.
The new data centre proposal has therefore emerged amid wider local concerns about land use and environmental impacts in the area.
