Written question asked by Nick Timothy (Conservative) on Tuesday, 28 January 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 30 January 2025. It was answered by Feryal Clark (Labour) on Wednesday, 5 February 2025 on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

Data Centres: Planning

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the AI Opportunities Action Plan on future (a) instances of judicial review, (b) environmental impact assessments and (c) local planning decisions on grid infrastructure for new data centres.

Answer: The AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out measures to support AI infrastructure development, including tackling challenges like planning and energy access. As part of this, the Government is considering how best to ensure an efficient regulatory and planning framework while maintaining high environmental and legal standards. This includes engagement with local authorities and relevant regulators to explore ways to manage planning processes effectively, including for grid infrastructure linked to new data centres.

Secondary information