Google has received planning approval to build a large new datacentre campus on the site of the former RAF North Weald airfield near Harlow, in Essex. The outline planning permission was granted by Epping Forest District Council last week despite some local concerns about traffic and infrastructure.
The development is expected to be a significant digital infrastructure investment, with a projected contribution of around £319 million to the national economy and the creation of hundreds of jobs during construction and operation.
Whilst datacentres aren't traditional construction like housing or transport, facilities like this involve major earthworks, utility upgrades, and bespoke buildings, making it a notable piece of industry news that sits at the crossroads of construction, technology, and economic development.