Sadiq Khan Data Centre Plan Sparks Havering Green Belt Row 2026

Key Points

• London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has published a draft London Plan that introduces a dedicated data centre policy and exempts data centres from usual Green Belt restrictions, allowing development on “grey belt” land.
• The policy marks data centres as the “only exception” to strict Green Belt rules, on the basis that they generate low traffic after construction, but imposes new sustainability requirements on energy, water and backup power.
• Havering residents and campaigners say the move risks setting a “dangerous precedent” and reignites opposition to the proposed East Havering Data Centre Campus on Green Belt land in North Ockendon.
• Reform MP for Romford Andrew Rosindell has warned the mayor’s approach could make it easier to build large-scale data centres on Green Belt and has criticised the pace and scope of consultation in Havering.
• Havering Council, acting as Local Planning Authority, has been consulting on a Local Development Order (LDO) for the North Ockendon scheme, with campaigners challenging the adequacy of consultation and threatening judicial review.
• Campaign groups including Protect the Green Belt (North Ockendon Alliance), Havering Friends of the Earth and local residents’ associations argue the site is vital for preventing urban sprawl, protecting wildlife and preserving the borough’s rural character.

Havering (East London Times) July 27, 2026 –Sir Sadiq Khan has cleared the way for more data centres to be built on London’s Green Belt by loosening planning restrictions and introducing a dedicated policy for the sector in the draft London Plan. As reported by business correspondents at The Telegraph, the draft plan exempts data centres from rules designed to prevent excessive Green Belt development and allows them to be considered on so‑called “grey belt” land – areas of the Green Belt seen as less scenic or recreational and less likely to contribute to urban sprawl.

The Greater London Authority’s draft London Plan, published in July 2026, describes data centres as the “only exception” to strict Green Belt controls that normally channel growth into identified areas close to public transport. Oliver Gough, of infrastructure consultancy Copper, told Copper Consultancy that the framework gives data centres a route to development “available to no other major land use”, reflecting a significant shift in how the sector is treated under planning policy.

A spokesman for Sir Sadiq said:

“The Mayor’s ambition is clear: for London to become the world’s leading city for environmentally friendly, low‑emission, high‑efficiency data centre development.”

The spokesman added that the energy requirements of data centres are “colossal” and that delivering expansion alongside other infrastructure needs would require a “whole‑city partnership approach” involving boroughs, energy providers, developers and universities.

Why are Havering residents and campaigners worried about the North Ockendon data centre?

For many people in Havering, the mayor’s announcement is likely to reignite concerns surrounding the proposed data centre development on Green Belt land in North Ockendon. The proposal, promoted by developer Digital Reef, is for a 99‑acre (40‑hectare) data centre campus on Fenn Lane, with associated infrastructure including an indoor horticultural facility, district heating network, ecology park and visitor centre.

As reported by The Havering Daily, local campaigners gathered in March 2026 to protest the scale and suitability of the development, with demonstrators saying they believe the location is not appropriate for such a major project. One resident told The Havering Daily:

“I bought my house here because it was quiet and out in the green fields. This would be an awful destruction of our greenbelt.”

Ian Pirie, coordinator of Havering Friends of the Earth, told the BBC that the construction process for the data centre is expected to last between 10 and 12 years and warned that

“instead of farmland, we would be faced with a multitude of warehouse‑sized structures, filled with computers, batteries, cooling systems, backup power sources, and more equipment”.

Pirie also warned that if the development is approved, it could set a dangerous precedent for further encroachment on the Green Belt.

A spokesperson for the Ock Residents Association (Nora) warned that the application would “open the floodgates”, stating:

“We are now witnessing a race to deteriorate the areas of Cranham, Upminster, and North Ockendon from greenbelt and conservation zones into an industrial power and battery storage wasteland.”

How has the Romford MP responded to the mayor’s planning changes and the Havering scheme?

Andrew Rosindell, Reform MP for Romford, has been campaigning against the sprawling data centre campus in east London and has warned that the mayor’s proposals

“risk setting a dangerous precedent by making it easier to build large‑scale data centres on green‑belt land”.

As reported by The Havering Daily, Mr Rosindell visited North Ockendon in March 2026 and listened to residents who said they feel “completely let down and unheard” over the scale and location of the proposed development.

Speaking to residents, Mr Rosindell said:

“I care about Havering, all of it as this is the place I was born. I believe that we should remain a town and country borough, and not turned into inner London. We need to protect beautiful parts like North Ockendon, our wildlife and our countryside. A data centre is needed but it should be appropriately located and we should not allow them to destroy our countryside.”

He added:

“Clearly the residents here and their entire existence is going to be ruined by this proposed development. This is in completely the wrong place and I do not like the way the Havering Residents Association seems to me that they are pushing this to go ahead before the election.”

Mr Rosindell also criticised the consultation period, saying:

“Twenty eight day consultation is not acceptable. We need a serious and detailed consultation with a maximum period as this is very technical and needs clear analysis before a decision is made.”

What is the status of Havering Council’s Local Development Order for the East Havering Data Centre?

The Havering Local Planning Authority (LPA) has published formal reports ahead of a Strategic Planning Committee meeting on 3 March 2026, seeking approval to consult on a draft Local Development Order (LDO) that would enable the development of the proposed East Havering Data Centre Campus in North Ockendon. Helen Oakerbee, Havering Director of Planning and Public Protection, said:

“On 3 March, the LPA will attend SPC to seek permission to launch the statutory consultation on the proposed LDO for the East Havering Data Centre Campus.”

The consultation, if approved, was scheduled to run from 6 March to 7 April 2026, giving residents and stakeholders the chance to review planning, environmental and technical documents and provide feedback before any final decision on whether to adopt the LDO.

The draft LDO sets out the planning framework for a new data centre campus including multiple data centre buildings, an indoor horticultural facility, district heating network, ecology park and visitors centre.

However, a community campaign group, Protect the Green Belt (North Ockendon Alliance), has issued a pre‑action letter signalling its intention to seek a judicial review, arguing that the consultation surrounding the proposed development may not have met required legal standards.

The group has outlined alleged shortcomings including the adequacy of the consultation period and the level of information made available to residents.

A Havering Council spokesperson told the BBC:

“We value the input of our constituents and will ensure there is a public consultation. Councillors are aware of the concerns of some residents in North Ockendon but must also consider the broader interests of the Havering community as a whole.”

What sustainability conditions does the draft London Plan impose on data centres?

While the draft London Plan opens a route for data centres on some Green Belt land, it also subjects them to new requirements about how they use water and electricity, making it more difficult to build them on industrial land.

Previously, the facilities were assessed in the same way as factories or warehouses; under the new policy, they must show that they are using renewable energy, limiting their use of water and exploring options to use excess heat to warm up homes.

The plan’s dedicated data centre policy, Growing London’s Economy 3 (GLE3), sets a five‑point test for identifying suitable locations, including grid and water capacity, clustering opportunities, local heat recovery potential, land availability that does not compromise housing supply, and compliance with Habitats Regulations, specifically air quality impacts from backup generators on Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation.

Data centre backup generators are also moved onto a separate, more actively managed regime than other developments.

Developers will need to minimise testing frequency, use the lowest‑emission engines and fuels available, and choose siting and testing hours to limit human exposure, with additional scrutiny for sites within 10km of Epping Forest.

How does the mayor’s policy define “grey belt” and why is it controversial?

The “grey belt” refers to areas of the Green Belt that are seen as ripe for development and that would not contribute to urban sprawl, often described as derelict or low‑value land in planning terms.

The Telegraph reported that the proposals allow building only on “grey belt” land, that is derelict areas or land of no scenic or recreational value, and that they impose strict controls on sustainability.

Experts described the new policy as “quite permissive”, with planning lawyer Giles Pink telling The Telegraph:

“They have a bit more privilege in this emerging policy.”

However, Andrew Rosindell warned that the proposals

“risk setting a dangerous precedent by making it easier to build large‑scale data centres on green‑belt land”.

Green belt campaigners in Havering argue that development on Green Belt land results in the permanent loss of open countryside and have urged planning authorities to protect Havering’s remaining green spaces for future generations.

Many campaigners believe Havering has already accommodated substantial development in recent years and that the borough’s remaining Green Belt should be protected.

What are the main arguments from supporters and opponents of the North Ockendon scheme?

Supporters of the data centre, including some Havering councillors, argue that the project will bring investment, jobs and new infrastructure, including an ecology park and district heating network, while helping London meet its digital infrastructure needs.

Havering Cllr Graham Williamson has defended the data centre on Green Belt, insisting it is the “right place” and highlighting proposed jobs and the ecology park.

Opponents, including Havering Friends of the Earth, Protect the Green Belt (North Ockendon Alliance) and local residents’ associations, argue that the site forms an important part of Havering’s Green Belt, helping to prevent urban sprawl, support wildlife and preserve the borough’s rural character.

Objectors have also raised concerns about the potential impact on the landscape, local roads, infrastructure, biodiversity, noise, water supply and flooding of the River Mardyke.

Campaigners also argue that the use of a Local Development Order, rather than a full planning application, involves quicker decision‑making and less consultation, setting a “dangerous precedent” for future developments.

Many residents say they bought their homes because of the quiet, rural setting and fear that the development would fundamentally alter the character of North Ockendon.

Background to the data centre and Green Belt planning debate in Havering

The controversy over data centres on Havering’s Green Belt has been building for several years, driven by rising demand for AI and cloud computing infrastructure and by national and local planning pressures.

The proposed East Havering Data Centre Campus in North Ockendon emerged as one of the largest schemes of its kind in Europe, prompting sustained opposition from residents and environmental groups.

Havering Council, in its role as Local Planning Authority, has pursued a Local Development Order as a mechanism to enable the development, arguing that it meets the “very special circumstances” test required for Green Belt development and that the project includes significant environmental mitigation, including an ecology park and district heating.

Campaigners, however, contend that the scale and location of the scheme are incompatible with Green Belt policy and that the consultation process has been inadequate.

At the same time, the Mayor of London has been developing a new London Plan that explicitly addresses data centres as a strategic sector, culminating in the July 2026 draft that introduces a dedicated data centre policy and new Green Belt rules.

The draft plan seeks to balance the economic benefits of data centre growth with sustainability requirements and housing delivery, acknowledging that both are competing for limited land, grid and water capacity.

Prediction: How could this development affect Havering residents and the wider London audience?

If the mayor’s draft policy is adopted and the North Ockendon scheme proceeds, Havering residents living near the Green Belt are likely to face long‑term changes to the character of their neighbourhoods, with increased construction traffic, noise and visual impact over a 10–12‑year build period.

Campaigners warn that approval could also encourage further data centre proposals on Green Belt land across east London, potentially eroding the protective buffer that currently limits urban sprawl.

For the wider London audience, the policy may help secure investment and digital infrastructure needed for AI and cloud services, but it also risks intensifying debates over the use of Green Belt land for industrial‑scale technology infrastructure rather than housing or open space.

If the sustainability conditions in the draft London Plan are enforced robustly, future data centres may be more energy‑ and water‑efficient and better integrated with local heat networks, but the precedent of Green Belt exemptions could make it harder for communities to resist similar schemes elsewhere.

For Havering specifically, the combination of the mayor’s policy direction and the council’s LDO approach is likely to increase pressure on local campaign groups, planning authorities and elected representatives to clarify how Green Belt protection, housing needs and digital infrastructure growth will be balanced in practice.