Brick Lane data centre plan 'could be halted if council uses power to seize land'

Plans to build a data centre and offices on either side of Brick Lane could be halted if the council uses its powers to seize the land, a campaigner has said.

The government decided to grant planning permission to redevelop sites belonging to Truman Brewery last month, despite opposition from Tower Hamlets Council and local neighbours in the area.

The deadline to mount a legal challenge to the decision expired on Wednesday. But Jonathan Moberly of the Save Brick Lane campaign said there were still “things that could be explored” to resist the development.

Property owners Truman Estates and Zeloof LLP plan to redevelop three sites in and around Brick Lane.

Their plans include building five office buildings at the Truman Brewery between Brick Lane and Spital Street, along with a cinema, supermarket, a market and 44 homes, of which six would be for social rent.

They also include more offices at Ely’s Yard, and a data centre in Grey Eagle Street, both just to the west of Brick Lane.

Truman Estates says the development will provide “homes for over 100 local people” and “over 1,600 new local jobs”.

But protesters last week said the development would “threaten the fabric of the area and will accelerate gentrification”.

Labour housing minister Matthew Pennycook granted the schemes planning permission on Wednesday, July 29, on behalf of his boss, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner.

The government chose to make the decision itself on the basis that the proposals were “of major importance” and had “more than local significance”.

Explaining his decision, Pennycook said that “public benefits of the data centre” – intended to give faster internet connections to nearby City financial traders – “would be very significant indeed”.

The council and Save Brick Lane both opposed the development at a planning inquiry in October.

However, opponent Moberly says the council told the campaign last week it would not attempt to overturn the decision through a judicial review.

Moberly said the decision was “disappointing” but suggested the council should pursue other options, such as using its compulsory purchase powers (CPOs).

Councils can issue CPOs to obtain land without the owner’s permission, but usually with compensation, “where there is a compelling public interest”.

Moberly told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “We would like to take the council to task to find out what they are planning to do if anything.

“We’ve never really heard any serious conversations about the possibility of a compulsory purchase order for example. There are things that could be explored.”

A council spokesperson told the LDRS the town hall had “reviewed options” but “cannot comment further on this matter”.

Faysal Ahmed, a councillor for Spitalfields and Banglatown from the ruling Aspire Party, told the LDRS: “All we can do is try and raise awareness and try and lobby the government to reverse the decision – that’s all we can do now.”

Supporters of the Save Brick Lane Campaign protested outside the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government offices in Westminster last Friday (4th).

They called on its secretary of state, Labour MP Angela Rayner, to reverse the decision to approve the developments. They also demanded a moratorium on planning permission for all new data centres.

Gabriel, from Bengali and Bangladeshi socialist organisation Nijjor Manush, told the protest: “This shameful decision is a burning indictment of this new government’s priorities, offering perks to firms and financial districts at the expense of working class workforce in Tower Hamlets.”

In the decision last July, Pennycook said the government “acknowledges the housing needs of the local community” and had “taken into account community concerns around the potential impact of the proposals”.