Plans by Google to build a new data centre campus at North Weald Airfield in Essex have been approved by Epping Forest District Council.

The council’s planning committee signed off the outline application on Wednesday, paving the way for a development that would see existing fire station blocks demolished and replaced with two data centre buildings alongside separate office space, internal roads and parking.

A report presented to councillors said the project is expected to create up to 780 local jobs, including up to 200 ‘direct jobs’, and contribute £79 million a year to the local economy. The same report said it could generate £319 million for the national economy.

While the approval gives Google a route forward at the former RAF airfield, the decision is for outline planning permission, with further detail expected to follow on design and delivery as the project progresses.

It also comes on the back of opposition from the local parish council, which filed its objection to the scheme in May earlier this year. At the time, the council noted, “At this stage, it is unclear exactly what impact the proposed buildings would have on airfield operations, and it is at best premature (at worst, potentially catastrophic) to agree that a maximum height of 24m is acceptable.”

It also highlighted the potential ‘security risk’ to the airfield, the data centre’s failure to ‘protect and enhance’ the character of the area, excess noise, as well as potential glare from on-site solar. Essentially, anything it could find wrong with the site – found its way into the parish council’s objection. 

Thankfully for Google, cooler heads prevailed at the district council, which approved the scheme. That’s not entirely surprising, given Google agreed to purchase the site in January 2024, paying the council £88.2 million for the land.

Section 106 and local impacts

Planning permission for the site is subject to Section 106 contributions being agreed, with the developer’s commitments not yet set out in full.

However, the report suggested the contributions could support upgrades to junction seven of the M11 nearby, which is likely to be a key issue as plans move from outline consent towards detailed design.

The council has also conceded there may be an impact on the North Weald Market, which is held on Saturdays at the airfield and sells items including clothing, homeware and food. Around 300 stalls are typically set up, but councillors were told the number may need to be reduced by as many as 100.