A local council in Essex, UK, has voiced opposition to a proposed data center campus from Google.

Google last year acquired a 52-acre site at North Weald Airfield, east of London, from the Epping Forest District Council, for a potential data center development.

Via Global Infrastructure UK Ltd, the search and cloud company filed its application for a data center campus – known as the North Weald Data Centre – this month to the Epping Forest District Council.

The company aims to develop two data center buildings and separate offices, delivering up to 77,150 sqm (830,530 sq ft) gross external area (GEA) of floorspace and an on-site substation at the site in North Weald in the Epping Forest district within Essex. The existing airfield is set to continue operations after development.

However, the local North Weald Bassett Parish Council has filed its objection to the development during a meeting last week.

Parish councils operate at a level below district and borough councils. Planning is usually handled by the higher-level district/borough/city council, with the parish providing consultation.

The parish council said the proposal “fails to meet with requirements” of the North Weald Airfield Strategic Masterplan.

Reasons for objection include noise, potential glare from on-site solar impacting the airfield, and a lack of clarity around local impact during development, including traffic. Impact on the operations of the existing airfield was also cited as a concern.

“At this stage, it is unclear exactly what impact the proposed buildings would have on airfield operations, and it is at best premature (at worst, potentially catastrophic) to agree that a maximum height of 24m is acceptable,” the council said.

The council said that while a proposed bund would provide a “nice daytime viewing platform to airfield operations,” it presents both a “security risk and a prime spot for night time antisocial behavior.”

“There are no details as to who will actively manage this area, given it is outside the secure perimeter of the proposed data center, nor how safety and security would be addressed (CCTV for example). Given the extremely close proximity of the bund to the airfield, and its secluded nature, it has not been clearly evidenced that the proposals do not present a security/crime risk.”

The parish council also said Google’s proposal “fails to protect and enhance the character and setting” of the Grade II-listed Air Control Tower, saying the setting of the control tower is “clearly being diminished and weakened as a direct result of the proposals.”

“It is understood that the applicant was considering the relocation of the Grade II listed control tower, however, Historic England has advised they would not support this,” the council said. “There is no evidence to this effect included within the application. In addition, there is no information as to how the security of the control tower would be managed, given it is outside the secure boundary of the data center site.”

The council report continued: “The applicant does not seem have explored alternative design options which would result in the retention of views of the airfield from the tower, and is simply suggesting the views will be lost but can be mitigated via a ‘heritage trail’.”

A Google spokesperson provided the following comment to DCD: “We’re seeking planning permission for a data center on a 52-acre property on the northeastern edge of Greater London. This move is a strategic step to ensure future technical infrastructure expansion for our growing business, bolstering the UK’s critical digital capabilities.”

North Weald opened as a Royal Flying Corps aerodrome in 1916, defending London against German air raids in World War I. Formerly known as RAF North Weald, an air force base which housed a squadron of Hawker Hurricanes during World War II. The planes were deployed to Dunkirk and played an important role in the Battle of Britain.

During the period of rearmament in the early 1950s, many airfields were provided with new control towers, and the control tower at North Weald was one of seven developed around this time. Today, the site operates as a commercial airfield for private pilots and training companies, and is home to helicopters from the Essex & Herts Air Ambulance and the National Police Air Service.

Council documents show Google paid £1.7 million ($2.3m) per acre for the site, putting the total cost of the purchase at £88.4 million ($119.8m). At the time of the land sale to Google, Councilor Chris Whitbread, leader of Epping Forest District Council, said: “The potential that this development brings is immense – not only in terms of advancing our digital infrastructure but also in generating high-quality, well-paid employment opportunities and bolstering our local economy.

“The sale makes the best use of the land available at North Weald Airfield, both in terms of driving forward our local economy as well as meeting the recommendations of the strategic masterplan.”