Residents in a cluster of villages in Norfolk, England, have expressed shock and anger over plans for a massive data center and solar farm development, projected to cover 4,700 acres—larger than Heathrow Airport. The project, known as Longmarsh Green Energy, has ignited a fierce local opposition, with a petition against it gathering over 43,000 signatures in just one week.

Scale and Concerns

The proposed development, planned to be operational by 2032 with an estimated cost of £25 billion, is described by developers as critical for future UK economic growth. It would encompass two sites and require up to one gigawatt of power, with the adjacent solar farm generating up to 1.3GW. However, campaigners question the sustainability of the energy supply, arguing that up to 85% of the data center's power will still be drawn from the national grid, even with solar generation.

Locals are deeply concerned about the visual impact of the eight-story, 600-meter-long data center and the vast expanse of solar panels on their rural landscape. Worries about constant noise pollution and the loss of prime agricultural land, capable of producing enough wheat for the nation's bread needs for three days, are paramount.

"The scale of this thing is out of this world," said Barry Ayres, Chairman of Tilney St Lawrence Parish Council. "Why are they building it on agricultural land and not on any of the many brownfield sites in the area?" Developers, Evolution Power Ltd, backed by Finnish company Korkia, have stated that there are no sufficiently sized brownfield sites available within 25 kilometers of the Walpole substation that are not already allocated for housing.

Environmental scientists and local residents also point to potential harm to wildlife, including a significant heronry designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Concerns have also been raised regarding the potential for solar glare to interfere with aircraft using the nearby RAF Marham airbase, and the impact of solar panels on radar signals.

Community Mobilization

Opposition has united both long-term residents and recent arrivals. "We feel like native Americans back in the days of the wild west and they've discovered gold in our midst and they want to trample our objections into the ground," said retired environmental scientist Dr. Martin Little, who has rallied locals against the developers.

Many residents have moved to the area seeking peace and natural beauty, and feel the development threatens their way of life. Tracey Lloyd, who moved from London, stated, "We are on a war footing here... Make no mistake, if we need to get every car in this village to block the road, that's what we'll do."

Fourth-generation farmer James Kitchen expressed dismay over pylons planned to cross his land, emphasizing the importance of food production. "To think that this land could be lost to something like this, I feel food should be our priority," he said.

Developer Response

A spokesperson for Longmarsh Green Energy acknowledged that solar power alone cannot provide a constant supply and stated that approximately 20% of the data center's annual electricity needs, estimated at 6,000 gigawatt hours, would be met by the co-located solar generation. The project plans to utilize batteries for balancing solar output and imported electricity, which they say will also help stabilize the local grid.

The developers plan to implement measures to mitigate local impacts, including a closed-loop cooling system for the data center to reduce water usage. They have also committed to working with residents on site-specific mitigation measures, such as landscaping and screening, prior to submitting their proposals. The final decision on this Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project will be made by the Energy Secretary following a Planning Inspectorate inquiry, with a decision expected by July 2028.