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

All schemes

Decided in WhitehallSouth East, England

Wapseys Wood data centre campus (SDC M40 Campus)

The Secretary of State directed the project into the national (NSIP) regime on 16 March 2026 and the Planning Inspectorate issued its scoping opinion on 9 June 2026. The developer's second-stage consultation runs from 15 September to 27 October 2026 and a Development Consent Order application is expected in January 2027. No application has been submitted yet. [S1] [S4] [S5] [S6] [S8]

Key facts

Status
Decided in Whitehall (nsip pre application) [S1] [S4] [S5] [S6] [S8]
Decided by
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government (decision on a future Development Consent Order, after examination by the Planning Inspectorate) [S1] [S2] [S4]
Applicant
Slough Holdings UK Limited [S1] [S3]
Developer or backer
SDC Capital Partners, LLC (parent, per developer request document); Veolia is landowner and energy engineering partner; Montagu Evans acted as agent for the section 35 request
References
EN0110030; Section 35 direction dated 16 March 2026 (Planning Act 2008, s35(1)); no separate reference number printed on the direction; Scoping Opinion for EN0110030, 9 June 2026
Location
Wapseys Wood landfill site (Veolia-operated former mineral extraction and landfill site) in Buckinghamshire, between the A40 Oxford Road to the south and the M40 to the north. Developer request document gives grid reference 497300E 188500N, which bisects data centre building 2. Order limits 75.6 ha; wider ownership 166.2 ha; data centre campus footprint 10.1 ha. [S3] [S4]
IT capacity
300MW [S2] [S3] [S4] [S8]
Site area
75.6 ha [S2] [S3] [S4] [S8]
Buildings
Up to three hyperscale data centre buildings (about 100MW each) plus an on-site gas energy centre [S2] [S3] [S4] [S8]
Investment (claimed)
GBP 2 billion (developer request document); GBP 3 billion (Bucks Herald, attributing to SDC) - claimed by developer [S2] [S3] [S4] [S8]
On-site generation
Integrated gas-fired energy centre, generating capacity about 250 to 350MW (Planning Inspectorate page: 250-350MW; developer request document: about 270 to 350MW), gas connection up to about 900MW using an existing on-site pipeline. Technology not fixed (combined cycle, open cycle or reciprocating engines all kept open). Described as 'decarbonisation-ready' with hydrogen conversion the preferred pathway, timing not known. Operating life at least 20 years. [S3] [S4] [S5] [S8]
Backup generators
Backup generators included in the proposal; number not stated in the documents read. [S3] [S4] [S5] [S8]
Cooling and water
Air cooling now preferred (water cooling was initially proposed). No water consumption figure in the documents read. Water and oil storage listed as associated development. [S3] [S4] [S5] [S8]
Designations
Registered Park and Garden (Bulstrode Park) lies to the east; no designated heritage assets on site; site not in Flood Zone 2 or 3 (developer request document); Green Belt status not stated in the documents read [S3] [S5] [S13]
Previous use
Former mineral extraction and landfill site, landfill operations reported as ceased in 2017 and the site under Environment Agency permit management; currently Veolia-operated (land gas generation reported as 7.5MW). [S3] [S5] [S13]
Environmental assessment
EIA development: scoping opinion issued 9 June 2026 requires an Environmental Statement covering air quality, climate, ecology, ground conditions, heritage, landscape, noise, socio-economics, water, major accidents (battery fire risk, RAF Northolt airspace) and human health. The Inspectorate warned that the applicant's flexibility on energy supply, cooling and hydrogen timing must not be so wide as to amount to different developments. Construction period of about 11 years referred to in the scoping opinion. [S3] [S5] [S13]

Timeline

  1. 2025-09
    Developer reports submitting a pre-application document to Buckinghamshire Council (month only given). [S3]
  2. 12 November 2025
    Developer's stage one (non-statutory) consultation opens; it ran to 8 January 2026. [S3] [S6]
  3. 8 January 2026
    Regulations amended so that data centres can be directed into the NSIP regime under section 35 (as stated in the developer's request document). [S3]
  4. 16 March 2026
    Secretary of State issues section 35 direction treating the data centre campus (and its on-site energy centre) as nationally significant; direction signed by Lewis Thomas, Deputy Director, Planning Casework. [S1] [S2] [S9]
  5. 9 June 2026
    Planning Inspectorate issues scoping opinion for the SDC M40 Campus, case EN0110030. [S5]
  6. 26 August 2026
    Foxglove publishes analysis estimating that Wapseys Wood and Quest Park together would emit more than 4.5m tonnes of carbon a year (campaigner estimate). [S10] [S14]
  7. 15 September 2026
    Developer's stage two consultation opens; feedback deadline 23:59 on 27 October 2026. [S6]
  8. 22 September 2026
    Bucks Herald reports a local petition against the scheme at 1,646 signatures. [S8]

Politicians and organisations

  • Toby Perkins MP (Labour) is quoted by Novara Media calling the two gas-powered data centres (Wapseys Wood and Quest Park) a 'serious threat to the environment and to our legally-binding climate goals'; he is not the local MP and the quote covers both schemes.
  • Local petition organised by Frankie Barrett (resident less than a mile away): 1,646 signatures on 22 September 2026, calling for the proposed location to be reconsidered; platform not stated
  • Foxglove (national action naming Wapseys Wood and Quest Park)
  • Global Action Plan and other NGOs (joint written evidence DCU0070)
  • Gerrards Cross Conservation Group (has published an explainer for residents; page could not be read, position not verified)

Claims

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

  • Slough Holdings UK Limited / SDC Capital Partners (developer): The UK has an 'overwhelming need' for new data centre capacity; the project would meet about 5% of the next five years' projected UK data centre demand. [S3] [S8]
  • Slough Holdings UK Limited / SDC Capital Partners (developer): Investment of GBP 2 billion and about 400 direct jobs (wage bill GBP 17 to 27 million) - request document; GBP 3 billion and 'hundreds of jobs' - as reported by Bucks Herald. [S3] [S8]
  • SDC Capital Partners (as quoted by Bucks Herald) (developer): At least 10% biodiversity net gain, improved public footpaths, and potential National Grid connection by 2040. [S7] [S8]
  • Slough Holdings UK Limited (developer): Energy centre is 'decarbonisation-ready' and hydrogen conversion is the preferred pathway. [S3] [S5]
  • Joint written evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee from Beyond Fossil Fuels, Foxglove, Friends of the Earth, Global Action Plan, Global Justice Now, Green Web Foundation and others (DCU0070) (campaigners): A 300MW data centre powered by on-site gas would emit about 532,696 tonnes of CO2e a year (calculation: 300MW over a year is 2,628,000,000 kWh multiplied by 0.2027 kgCO2e per kWh). [S12] [S13]
  • Foxglove (campaigners): Wapseys Wood and Quest Park together would consume 1.3GW and emit more than 4.5m tonnes of carbon a year, more than ExxonMobil's UK operations (about 3.9m tonnes in 2023); individual breakdown not published in the pieces read. [S10] [S14]

Campaigns

Sources

  1. [S1] Data Centre Campus, Wapseys Wood, Buckinghamshire: Section 35 Direction, Planning Act 2008. GOV.UK (MHCLG), 16 March 2026. Level 1 source.
  2. [S2] Section 35 Direction Wapseys Wood (PDF). MHCLG via GOV.UK, 16 March 2026. Level 1 source.
  3. [S3] Request Document - SDC M40 Campus - Section 35 Direction (request statement on behalf of Slough Holdings UK Limited). Slough Holdings UK Limited via GOV.UK. Level 3 source.
  4. [S4] SDC M40 Campus - Project information (EN0110030). Planning Inspectorate. Level 1 source.
  5. [S5] Scoping Opinion: Proposed SDC M40 Campus, Case Reference EN0110030. Planning Inspectorate, 9 June 2026. Level 1 source.
  6. [S6] SDC M40 Campus - consultation home page. SDC Capital Partners (developer). Level 3 source.
  7. [S7] SDC M40 Campus - Overview. SDC Capital Partners (developer). Level 3 source.
  8. [S8] Hundreds object to GBP 3 billion M40 data centre plans in Buckinghamshire. Bucks Herald, 22 September 2026. Level 4 source.
  9. [S9] UK Government to decide whether to approve 300MW data center in Buckinghamshire. DatacenterDynamics. Level 5 source.
  10. [S10] Just two new data centres will pump out more planet-heating carbon emissions than ExxonMobil (Foxglove analysis). Foxglove, 26 August 2026. Level 6 source.
  11. [S11] Andy Burnham: no new gas power stations for data centres. Foxglove. Level 6 source.
  12. [S12] Written evidence DCU0070 (joint NGO submission, Environmental Audit Committee). UK Parliament committees. Level 6 source.
  13. [S13] AI Datacenters Would Out-Pollute ExxonMobil UK as Grid Crisis Fuels Gas Lock-In. Tech Times, 26 August 2026. Level 5 source.
  14. [S14] Two UK Datacentres Will 'Produce More Emissions Than ExxonMobil'. Novara Media, 26 August 2026. Level 4 source.