US data centre protest reaches UK, some residents call it 'a crisis for future'

​Protests against the construction of AI data centres are not just sweeping the US; they have reached the UK. A town near London is said to be fighting new projects, citing worries about electricity demand, housing and environmental impact. In the US, a recent Gallup poll shows that 7 out of 10 Americans are opposed to the construction of data centres near their homes, compared with 47% who felt this way in late 2023. There has already been opposition to this development, with more than 142 protest events in 42 US states and bans or moratoriums in 69 areas. The pushback has also led to delays for data centre projects worth over $130 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone.Meanwhile, in Potters Bar, on the northern edge of London, local campaigners are opposing an 85-acre data centre planned by Equinix, with construction expected to begin next year. Ros Naylor, who grew up near the site and helped establish the Potters Bar Special Interest Group Residents’ Association, told the Financial Times, “It is a crisis for the future.”The group has spent more than a year opposing the proposal through public demonstrations and a petition signed by more than 4,600 people, arguing that the development could bring continuous operational noise, increased traffic and the loss of greenbelt land while placing additional pressure on electricity supplies.​Why data centre projects are facing growing resistance​The Potters Bar campaign is part of a wider backlash against AI infrastructure that has spread across London and other regions, including Edinburgh, rural Brazil and Tennessee, the report claims. There have also been protests in Brick Lane, East London, where the old Truman Brewery site is designated for redevelopment as a technology campus.​The issues transcend individual projects. In England, there is now a growing debate about whether electricity capacity should be focused on housing or on intensive digital technologies. A report by the London Assembly's Planning and Regeneration Committee found that electricity constraints in west London delayed new housing connections after local grid capacity reached its limits in 2022.​The report highlighted that boroughs including Hillingdon, Hounslow and Ealing share electricity infrastructure with areas around Slough and Heathrow, where a large concentration of data centres already operates. Some housing developments reportedly faced delays of up to 15 years while awaiting grid connections.​London's data centre expansion continues​Despite the opposition, London remains Europe's largest data centre market. Microsoft is nearing completion of a £1 billion data centre in Park Royal, while Google opened a new facility on the outskirts of London last year and has additional sites planned. More than 20 further projects have been proposed across the capital and surrounding counties.​The UK government designated data centres as Critical National Infrastructure in 2024, citing their role in supporting digital services, investment and employment. The industry group techUK estimates that the sector generates around £4.7 billion in annual revenue.​To address increasing concerns, the Greater London Authority introduced a dedicated draft policy in July as part of the new London Plan. The proposal recommends locating data centres in areas with sufficient electricity capacity to reduce impacts on nearby communities and improve sustainability, while remaining open to public consultation until October.​Energy, water and environmental concerns​Campaign groups argue that electricity demand remains one of the biggest challenges. The National Energy System Operator estimates data centres in Great Britain consumed around 7.6 terawatt-hours of electricity in 2025, with demand projected to increase significantly by 2050 as AI adoption expands.​Donald Campbell, director of advocacy at Foxglove, said the annual electricity consumption of one approved hyperscale data centre in Southall would be comparable to that of around 530,000 homes. The organisation has argued that developers should build sufficient renewable generation and energy storage to offset their electricity use.​Water consumption has also become a major concern. Some facilities require large volumes of water for cooling, while campaigners point out that London and southeast England are already among the UK's most water-stressed regions. The draft London Plan encourages water-efficiency measures and waste heat recovery but does not set mandatory limits.​Environmental groups have also raised concerns about emissions from electricity generation and backup diesel generators used by some facilities. Planned developments outside London, including projects in Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire, also include proposals for new gas-fired power stations to support operations.Get the latest technology news and updates. Download the TOI App.