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Data Centres: Planning Permission

Asked by Sir James CleverlyConservativeMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled Answered 13 March 2026UIN 118193

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the planning use class is of a data centre; and whether change of use planning permission is required for an office to become a data centre.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook

What use class any given proposal for a data centre will fall into will depend on the individual circumstances of the case.An application for planning permission will generally be needed in order to change use of an office to a data centre.

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