Microsoft set to submit new data centre project

Microsoft is set to submit a plan for a new data centre later this autumn.

It wants to use a site at the former Langley Business Centre, near Langley and Windsor College in Station Road, which has been vacant since December 2023.

Slough Borough Council previously approved an outline plan for a data centre there in 2021 but this application has now lapsed.

Some people have said they are concerned about the proliferation of data centres in Slough, with worries being raised over noise, the heat generated by them and potential health impacts.

The IT giant held a consultation for residents at the Langley Community Centre on Saturday.

As part of documents published ahead of that meeting, Microsoft said data centres "have become integral to our lives, with social media, contactless payments and remote working all reliant on the functionality they provide".

The proposed building would stand 15m high, "similar to that of a six-storey office building", the company said.

A substation and other infrastructure are planned and public art designed locally is included in its proposals.

The company said it "strives to be a good neighbour" and to "create a positive impact in the communities that are home to our data centres".

Hundreds of people have called for Slough Borough Council to pause any new data centre developments in the town.

The petition, which currently has about 600 signatures, is calling for an independent assessment to look into the impacts of data centres to be done first.

But Microsoft's consultation says an environmental assessment is being done to look at potential impacts on air quality, noise, climate, townscape and daylight.