A planning application has been submitted for a massive new data centre on land near the M4 at Mwyndy Cross, east of the A4119 in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The development, proposed by Maska Group Limited, includes an 18,220-square-metre (196,120 sq ft) data centre over two internal floors, plus a 2,260-square-metre (24,330 sq ft) three-storey office block.
Details of the Development
The application also encompasses an adjoining loading, unloading, plant (energy), and sub-station block, along with all associated support transport infrastructure, security, services, landscaping, mitigation measures such as additional hedgerow and small trees, and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) attenuation ponds. A new access road and T-junction off Mwyndy Cross are also included.
Need for Data Centre Capacity
The design and access statement prepared on behalf of Maska Group Limited notes that many towns and cities across the UK are grappling with the recognised need for data centres. It states: “Although on the face of it, the UK doesn’t have a shortage of data centres – there are more than 500 across the country – it is the need for greater and greater capacity in order to keep up with the demands of artificial intelligence (AI) that is in demand.”
The statement adds that Google has reportedly said the UK is at risk of being left behind in AI without more data centres, a call that the UK Government has appeared to heed by designating data centres as “critical national infrastructure”.
Global Demand Trends
According to the statement, analysis of current trends suggests that global demand for data centre capacity could rise at an annual rate of approximately 20% between now and 2030, reaching an annual demand of between 170 to 220 gigawatts (GW).
Opportunity at Mwyndy Cross
The statement argues that the available land to the east of Mwyndy Cross, particularly given its inherent infrastructure connectivity, offers an ideal opportunity for the development of such a data centre. It says the application proposals are intended to create employment opportunities of various kinds for the immediate and wider population, as well as become a catalyst for further development along Mwyndy Cross.
