Plans to redevelop a self-storage site into a data center outside London have been given the OK by local officials.

UK commercial real estate investor Northtree Investment Management filed to develop a facility within the Hemel Hempstead Industrial Estate in Hemel Hempstead, in the Dacorum district of Hertfordshire.

The company has been granted outline planning permission for the phased redevelopment of 45 Maylands Avenue into a data center (Use Class B), totalling up to 5,100 sqm (54,895 sq ft), including ancillary offices, internal plant, equipment (flues), and a substation.

The 45 Maylands Avenue Data Centre would total 3,055 sqm (32,885 sq tf) of data hall and plant space in a three-story building. Each of the two planned data halls would offer 5MW.

The site is currently a Blue Box Storage facility. The two-story self-storage property is still currently listed on Blue Box’s website.

An application was filed in 2022 to demolish the existing structures and redevelop the site for flexible commercial use (Use Classes B8 / B2).

NTT is present in Hemel Hempstead, operating several facilities in the area. Its first facility in the town was acquired in 2012 when NTT bought UK operator Gyron. Amazon has a presence in the area in a Prologis industrial park.