Pre-planning application submitted for data centre

Lewis Smith, local democracy reporter

A pre-planning application has been submitted for proposals to build a new 12 MW data centre.

If approved the facility would be located at a site known as Tyn-y-Caeau based to the west of the A48 Margam Road, near Port Talbot on a section of the road which runs between Junction 38 of the M4 motorway.

The site is approximately 1.3 hectares in size and currently accommodates a derelict complex of buildings including a dwelling house and detached guest accommodation.

Wildlife sites

The area also lies within two kilometres of several nationally or internationally environmentally important sites such as Eglwys Nunydd Reservoir as well as three designated wildlife sites.

A data centre is a specialised facility that stores and processes data for companies through computing and storage resources.

The proposed development could eventually include main data halls and equipment, back-up generators, a delivery bay and storage, along with associated offices and meeting rooms.

Landscaping

It would also contain parking for up to 15 cars if eventually given the go-ahead by the council’s planning authority, along with other supporting infrastructure and landscaping.

Planning developers have now submitted a request for a screening opinion which would decide if the application should be subjected to an environmental impact assessment before a full planning application is handed in to the local authority.

The report read: “This request for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Opinion is provided for the reference of the Local Planning Authority, to determine whether an EIA is required for the proposed development.

“The request is made in respect of a development proposal by Welsh Bio-Enterprise (WBE).”

The report added that a “comprehensive planning application” for the data centre is now being developed for the proposal, and will include a “holistic consideration of the environmental effects of the project.”