Huge data centre and solar farm plans revealed

Plans have been drawn up for a huge new data centre and one of the UK's largest solar farm's near King's Lynn in Norfolk.

Developers behind the Longmarsh Green Energy project said the data centre would require up to 1 gigawatt (GW) of power at any given time, while the solar farm the firm wants to build would generate up to 1.3GW.

Evolution Power Limited (EPL) said it was seeking to construct two sites covering around 4,695 acres (1,900 hectares) and the proposals could attract £25bn of investment.

A spokesperson said the project was "critical for future UK economic growth" and it had begun a consultation on the plans.

While details released about the project have been limited, the solar farm could generate more power than any other currently planned for the UK.

Developers behind the controversial High Grove scheme - one of the largest proposals which is also planned for rural Norfolk – say it would generate up to 720 megawatts (MW) of electricity, enough for 363,000 homes.

That is just over half what the newly proposed site is said to be capable of producing.

The solar farm would also include battery storage.

Meanwhile the accompanying data centre would require up to 1GW of electricity at any one time.

EPL said one site for the project would be south of the A47 near the village of Tilney St Lawrence, with the other close to the villages of Fincham and Barton Bendish.

Along with drawing on solar energy, they would be connected to the existing electricity substation at Walpole, with the company aiming to have them operational by 2031.

It said the work would create thousands of construction jobs, while there would be more than 500 "direct operational roles" on site.

It added that it would use a "closed loop cooling system" – where liquid is recirculated – rather than taking water from the mains.

Such centres, which are used to store, process and transmit information, are frequently being opposed by local communities across the country, often due to environmental concerns.

But the government has deemed them critical to "nearly all economic activity and public services".

EPL said it expected to formally submit its planning application next April.

Because of its scale, it will be deemed a nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP), which means final say will rest with the government rather than the local council.

Other major schemes, such as High Grove, have also been classed as NSIPs.

Referring to that and projects including a large wind farm also planned for the area, North West Norfolk Conservative MP James Wild said the new plan "could represent further large scale industrialisation of the landscape".

Alistair Beales, the independent leader of King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council, said the authority would "do our job locally and reflect residents' concerns".

A spokesperson for EPL said its plans would "bring significant local and national economic benefits, providing secure renewable energy and data centre capacity".

They also said they would welcome feedback in a community consultation, which is running until 26 November.

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk? Contact us below.

Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.