Ark Data Centres Wins Approval for Major UK Campus Expansion Amid Local Opposition
February 10, 2026
A major data center expansion in the UK has cleared a significant regulatory hurdle, highlighting the ongoing tension between rapid digital infrastructure growth and local community concerns. Ark Data Centres has received conditional planning approval from Wiltshire Council to extend its Spring Park campus in Corsham, following an 18-month review process marked by substantial local opposition. The council's decision, deferred from December to allow more time to assess technical documents, grants permission for a new 27,350-square-meter (294,000-square-foot) data center building on Westwells Road. The 18-meter-tall facility will be constructed adjacent to Ark's existing campus, which is near the Wadswick Green retirement village. This seventh building on the Spring Park site follows the approval of a sixth facility in May 2024, with the application for this latest extension submitted in June of that year.
The project's scale is significant within Ark's broader portfolio. The company, founded in 2005 and controlled by Elliott Investment Management with Revcap as a minority investor, operates or is developing 27 data centers across nine sites in the UK and Belgium, representing a total capacity of over 560MW. Its key UK campuses include locations in Farnborough, North London, and Corsham. Ark is a crucial provider for the UK public sector, serving multiple government departments and operating the Crown Hosting joint venture with the Cabinet Office for public sector colocation. The approval was not easily won. Local residents vehemently opposed the plan, citing potential flood risks, the building's proximity to residential areas, and environmental impact.
Over 1,100 public comments were lodged against the proposal. Ark executives expressed frustration with the delays. Rob Sylvester, Chief Revenue Officer at Ark, noted the company's alternative options, stating, "We do have a choice as to where to invest, and we can do so in other localities in the UK and overseas... But we fundamentally believe it's important to continue to grow our investment in Corsham." The decision underscores a critical challenge for the data center industry, particularly in mature markets like the UK: balancing the essential demand for computing capacity—driven by AI, cloud adoption, and digitalization—with increasing scrutiny over land use, community impact, and sustainability. While the conditional approval allows Ark to proceed, it sets a precedent for the level of scrutiny and public engagement now expected for such projects in non-metropolitan areas.
Source: datacenterdynamics
