Lincolnshire Council Approves Massive AI Datacentre Despite Emissions Warnings
North Lincolnshire council has unanimously approved planning permission for a major new AI datacentre campus, despite significant warnings about its potential environmental impact. The decision, made on Wednesday, greenlights the Elsham Tech Park development near Scunthorpe, adjacent to the existing Elsham Wolds industrial estate in north Lincolnshire.
Projected Emissions Comparable to Domestic Aviation
According to council documents, the proposed datacentre's peak annual scope 2 emissions – indirect greenhouse gases from electricity generation – are estimated to reach approximately 1 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2033-34. This figure approaches the 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent generated annually by all domestic flights within the United Kingdom.
Tech justice nonprofit Foxglove highlighted this comparison, with campaigners warning the campus could become a major new source of emissions. Tim Squirrell, head of strategy at Foxglove, expressed disappointment that "big tech's dubious claims of economic growth spurred by AI datacentres be put ahead of the ongoing climate crisis."
Council's Environmental Justification
The council concluded that despite the development's "large absolute energy demand," the impact of emissions was not significant due to the datacentre's proximity to clean energy sources in the Humber region. However, Squirrell criticized this decision, stating the council "ignored their own policy, which states 20% of energy must be generated through on-site renewables" and "credulously accepted the developer's incorrect figures, which underestimated the impact of this datacentre on the UK's carbon budget by a factor of five."
Ambitious Development Plans
Elsham Tech Park plans to construct up to 15 datacentre buildings across the site, generating up to 1GW of computing capacity. This would make it one of the largest datacentre complexes proposed in the United Kingdom. Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with partial campus openings targeted for 2029.
The developer, Greystoke, claims the centre will create up to 900 long-term jobs and could attract approximately £10 billion in private investment. Local businesses would receive priority for supply chain opportunities. Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire council, described the project as a "once-in-a-generation investment opportunity" that will bring "thousands of construction jobs, hundreds of highly skilled, high-paid long-term roles, and the chance to build a new industry right here in Lincolnshire."
Environmental Mitigation Claims
Elsham Tech Park asserts the campus plan includes biodiversity improvements such as new planting, bat and bird boxes, and wildflower grassland. The centre will feature a highly water-efficient design using closed-loop systems that minimize water consumption for server cooling.
A spokesperson for Greystoke emphasized: "Elsham Tech Park in north Lincolnshire – next to the country's most advanced clean energy cluster – will see £10bn of private investment, generating thousands of well-paid operational and construction jobs in the region, and supporting local supply chains."
Power Generation Concerns
Questions remain about the feasibility of achieving the projected power generation levels. A separate AI project by tech firm Nscale, intended to provide 50MW of AI capacity with potential upgrades to 90MW, serves as a cautionary example. A Guardian investigation revealed that nine months before its scheduled completion, the Essex-based project remains essentially a scaffolding yard with minimal progress.
This is not Greystoke's first datacentre venture in the region. The company previously backed Humber Tech Park in north Lincolnshire, which received planning permission in August 2024 but has yet to commence construction.
