Private prototype. Facts from research on 2 to 3 October 2026; not yet reviewed for publication. Forms do not submit.

All schemes

Early stageNorth West, England

Spodegreen data centre campus, Little Bollington

Innova is consulting before applying: the first public drop-in was held on 30 September 2026 (High Legh Village Hall) and a second event is planned for later in 2026. No planning application, EIA screening or scoping request was found as at 3 October 2026; submission to Cheshire East Council is expected in 2026/27 (early 2027 per Place North West). Residents have formed a working group. [S1] [S2] [S3] [S5] [S6] [S8] [S9]

Key facts

Status
Early stage (pre application) [S1] [S2] [S3] [S5] [S6] [S8] [S9]
Decided by
Cheshire East Council (local planning authority, no application yet) [S1] [S2] [S3]
Applicant
Innova [S3] [S4] [S6]
Developer or backer
Landowner reported as the Tatton Estate, with Innova holding a development option (Resultsense, secondary); JLL working with Innova on the plans
Location
About 60 ha (148 acres) of farmland south of Lymm Road (A56), north of the M56 and west of the A556, near Little Bollington; part of the Tatton Estate (about 5,500 acres). Postal address in the Altrincham area (WA14 4TP) but the site is in Cheshire East. Developer's website gives about 60 ha including landscaping and ecological areas; Place North West reports access from Lymm Road and Chester Road (not verified elsewhere). [S1] [S2] [S3] [S5]
Site area
60 ha [S1] [S2] [S3]
Buildings
Multi-operator campus; number of halls not stated [S1] [S2] [S3]
On-site generation
Rooftop and car-park solar plus a separate solar farm west of Coe Lane (to serve the training facility, offices and district heating centre), per Place North West [S1] [S3] [S7]
Cooling and water
Hybrid cooling system and a closed-loop water system reported; no figures [S1] [S3] [S7]
Designations
Macclesfield Times says the Little Bollington neighbourhood plan places the parish wholly in the Green Belt (not independently checked); Neighbours Dunham Massey (National Trust); Resident Mike Reed told DCD it is 'green belt land at the edge of Manchester's conurbation' (a campaigner statement; Green Belt status not confirmed from a primary source) [S1] [S6] [S7]
Previous use
Agricultural land (Tatton Estate farmland) [S1] [S6] [S7]

Timeline

  1. 23 September 2026
    Local coverage reveals the 60-hectare campus plan (Altrincham Today). [S2]
  2. 24 September 2026
    Public notice of the 30 September event published (Altrincham Today); it gives no feedback deadline, planning route or EIA status. [S8]
  3. 30 September 2026
    First public drop-in, 4pm-8pm, High Legh Village Hall; residents' working group formed around then (about 40 attended its first meeting). [S1] [S2] [S6]
  4. 2 October 2026
    DatacenterDynamics reports concern over a 'monster' data centre planned for Cheshire: same scheme (148-acre site outside Little Bollington, Innova). DCD says over 100 people attended the consultation; its wording placing the event in 'the week of 2 October' conflicts with the developer's notice dating it to 30 September. [S7] [S8]

Politicians and organisations

  • Residents' working group (coordinated by Mike Reed, former parish clerk)
  • National Trust, Dunham Massey: said it will review any submitted plans for effect on wildlife (not an objection)
  • Janice Taylor (Ash Farm bed and breakfast operator) told Resultsense the plan would damage her quiet-focused business (an individual objector, not a group)

Claims

Claims by developers, campaigners or councils, recorded as claims and not checked as fact.

  • Innova (developer): About 350 full-time-equivalent skilled jobs in construction and operation [S3] [S5]
  • Innova (calculation unpublished) (developer): About 20 million pounds of additional business rates for the council [S1]
  • Innova (developer): Heat reuse via a district heating centre, a 'Living Lab' training facility, biodiversity net gain, local fibre improvements [S5]
  • Residents including working group coordinator Mike Reed (other): A 'massive great industrial monster'; concerns over flood risk, noise, light and loss of countryside and Green Belt [S6] [S7]
  • Innova, as reported by Resultsense (developer): Building could begin within 3-5 years if approved [S6]
  • Residents, as reported by Resultsense (date as reported; year not confirmed) (other): Flood risk concern: Bridgewater Canal was damaged on 1 January the previous year and two homes were evacuated [S6]

Campaigns

  • Residents' working group, Little Bollington / High Legh area

Sources

  1. [S1] Spodegreen data centre: 60ha plan by M56, drop-in 30 Sept. Macclesfield Times, 30 September 2026. Level 4 source.
  2. [S2] Huge 60-hectare data centre campus planned for Little Bollington. Altrincham Today, 23 September 2026. Level 4 source.
  3. [S3] Rural Cheshire data centre put forward. Place North West. Level 4 source.
  4. [S4] Emerging data centre proposals to go on display - could support about 350 jobs (search listing only). Insider Media. Level 4 source.
  5. [S5] Spodegreen Data Centre (developer consultation site). Innova. Level 3 source.
  6. [S6] Lymm residents fight Innova's Spodegreen data centre plan. Resultsense, 30 September 2026. Level 7 source.
  7. [S7] Concern over 'monster' data center planned for Cheshire, UK. DatacenterDynamics, 2 October 2026. Level 5 source.
  8. [S8] Public Notice: Invitation to Public Consultation Event - Spodegreen Data Centre. Altrincham Today, 24 September 2026. Level 3 source.
  9. [S9] Call for sites (Cheshire East Local Plan). Cheshire East Council. Level 1 source.
  10. [S10] What the Proposed Little Bollington Data Centre Could Mean for Local Engineering Jobs. Bauhaus Recruitment. Level 7 source.