Pegasus Group has helped Greystoke to secure planning permission for a second hyperscale data within the Green Belt.
Following the recent SoS approval at Abbots Langley in May 2025, the SoS has now allowed a proposal for a 72,000 sqm data centre at the former Woodlands Landfill site near Iver, on land within the M25.
The SoS agreed that there is a need for the development and there are no alternatives to meet that need. The site was also found to qualify as “Grey Belt” and so the test applying to inappropriate development in the Green Belt did not apply. Weighing in favour of the proposal was the direct and indirect employment which carries substantial weight; need and lack of alternative sites which each carry significant weight; education and employment, contribution to mitigating climate change, and biodiversity net gain which each carry moderate weight; and temporary employment which carries limited weight.
Weighing against the proposal was the adverse landscape and visual effect which carried significant weight. The Secretary of State did however accept that the visual impact would be highly localised. Having concluded that the proposal is not inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and in line with paragraph 153 and footnote 55 of the Framework, the SoS gave no weight to harm to the openness of the Green Belt.
Interestingly, the reporting Inspector concluded that very special circumstances existed so as to justify the grant of planning permission. The Secretary of State however reached a different conclusion and instead made the finding that the appeal site comprised ‘grey belt’ land.
The overall conclusion was that the appeal should be allowed.
The Inquiry Team led by Alexander Booth KC of FTB Chambers included Stephen Nicol (Economic Benefits), Ashley Collins (Need), Paul Harris (Landscape), David Hutchison and James Willey (Planning).