West London Technology Park (Woodlands Park landfill site), Iver
Outline plans for a data centre of up to 72,000 sqm in two buildings on a former landfill site south of Slough Road, Iver. An earlier, larger scheme was refused in 2022 and the appeal dismissed in October 2023. The second application was refused by Buckinghamshire Council in June 2024 on green belt, landscape, air quality and habitat grounds, then allowed on appeal by the Secretary of State in July 2025 as grey belt. Campaigners Foxglove and Global Action Plan challenged the decision; in January 2026 the government admitted a "serious logical error" over the lack of an environmental impact assessment and accepted the permission should be quashed. The project is on hold pending the court outcome.
Key facts
- Operator / developer
- Greystoke Land and Altrad UK Limited
- Location
- Iver, South East, United Kingdom
- Status
- Paused
- Facility type
- Data centre
- AI relevance
- Not stated
- Floor area
- 72,000 m²
Planning
- Council
- Buckinghamshire Council
- Planning route
- Local planning (TCPA)
- Planning reference
- PL/24/0754/OA; appeal APP/N0410/W/24/3347353
- Planning decision
- Refused by Buckinghamshire Council 25 June 2024; appeal allowed by the Secretary of State 9 July 2025; High Court challenge: in January 2026 the government accepted the permission should be quashed (no EIA). Final court outcome not yet confirmed.
- Decision date
- 9 July 2025
- Appeal status
- Appeal allowed
- Refusal reasons
- Green belt, Visual and landscape impact, Other
- Green belt
- Yes
Timeline
Secretary of State dismissed the appeal for the first, larger data centre scheme on green belt grounds.
SourceBuckinghamshire Council refused the second application (PL/24/0754/OA) for up to 72,000 sqm.
SourceSecretary of State allowed the appeal, treating the site as grey belt.
SourceHigh Court granted permission for judicial review; the government accepted the permission should be quashed for lack of an environmental impact assessment.
Source
Sources
- Recovered appeal decision APP/N0410/W/24/3347353, 9 July 2025
Secondary source · MHCLG / Planning Inspectorate
- Recovered appeal decision, Woodlands Park Landfill Site (first scheme), October 2023
Secondary source · MHCLG
- Government admits serious error as permission granted for legal case (26 Jan 2026)
Secondary source · Leigh Day
- £1bn datacentre plans on hold after government admits legal blunder (23 Jan 2026)
Secondary source · Computing
Last verified
1 October 2026
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