Broadcaster Jake Humphrey opposes AI data centre plans near his home
Sports broadcaster Jake Humphrey has urged planners to consider the impact of a proposed 150MW AI data centre near Marston Marshes nature reserve. South Norfolk Council has received 29 objections to the scheme
Sports broadcaster Jake Humphrey has described plans for a 150MW AI data centre near a Norfolk nature reserve as "absurd", warning that local communities could be left to "pay the price".
Norwich Apex Ltd has applied to build the two-storey facility on a 32-acre site outside Norwich, close to Marston Marshes nature reserve. South Norfolk Council received the application on October 2.
The proposed data centre would have a power capacity equivalent to running 50,000 kettles at once and would have 72 rooftop cooling units.
The site already has planning permission for an industrial park. Residents have raised concerns about continuous noise, light pollution and the loss of the area’s rural character. A total of 29 objections have been lodged.
Marston Marshes is a 64-acre reserve of floodplains, woodland and grassland. It is home to the rare Desmoulin's whorl snail, which is endangered because of habitat loss.
Humphrey, who lives near the site, said its proximity to the reserve made it the wrong location for the development.
In a video posted to Facebook, Mr Humphrey said: “If our answer to our needs becomes ‘find a patch of countryside, put something enormous on it and we’ll deal with the consequences afterwards’, then sooner or later this conversation arrives in your town.
“Of course build the future, but don’t ask ordinary communities to quietly pay the price for it.
“It has got to be in the right place; it has got to be the right scale and the protections should be agreed before permission is given.
"That shouldn’t be controversial.”
Humphrey said he was not opposed to data centres and did not consider himself a NIMBY.
He added: “Britain needs data centres. We need technology, we need growth. I understand this. I work in the media. I understand AI.
“I just want as many people to know what is being proposed before the decision is made.
“Because once developments of this scale are built, we don’t get to make the decision again.”
The scheme has not been designated a nationally significant infrastructure project. The application is being considered by South Norfolk Council through the local planning process.
Ben Goldsborough, the Labour MP for South Norfolk, and Daniel Elmer, the Conservative leader of South Norfolk Council, have both said they will oppose the plans.
One objector said: "Our wildlife and beautiful countryside is being wrecked.
"It was only a few years ago that this site was covered in poppies and abuzz with nature."
Another added: "At a time of great concern for the climate, this is a terrible plan and the application should not be granted.
"If a data centre must be built, it should be somewhere far from residential areas and in an area of least impact to wildlife."
A spokesman for Norwich Apex Ltd said: “The data centre will incorporate many types of noise mitigation strategies including acoustic enclosures to all chillers, use of 'free cooling' at night further reducing noise output, use of natural screening and acoustic barriers at select points of the site, which will also screen the view from nearby villages.
"The acoustic assessment submitted as part of our planning application has predicted that subject to these measures, the data centre will not exceed the existing day and nighttime background sound level at all key sound receptors."