FOI002885 FOI Planning

This is a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I am writing to request information held by your council concerning data centre planning applications, non-disclosure agreements and confidentiality arrangements related to such applications.

Please provide the following:
 

1.    Planning applications (last five years):

All planning applications submitted to the council since 1 January 2021 that relate to data centres, cloud computing facilities, hyperscale computing facilities or AI infrastructure. For each application, please provide:
•     Planning reference number
•     Application date
•     Applicant name (individual or corporate)
•     Site address
•     Brief description of proposed use
•     Current status (approved, refused, withdrawn, pending)
•     Decision date (if determined)
 

2.    Non-disclosure agreements:

Copies of any non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), confidentiality agreements or similar instruments entered into by the council with applicants, developers or operators in connection with data-centre planning applications or negotiations since 1 January 2021. If full copies cannot be disclosed due to commercial sensitivity, please provide:
•     The number of such agreements
•     The parties to each agreement
•     The date each agreement was signed
•     A summary of the type of information covered (for example, site location, energy consumption, tenant identity)
•     Whether each agreement has expired or remains in force
 

3.    Policy and guidance:

Any internal guidance, policy documents or legal advice provided to planning officers or councillors regarding the use of NDAs or confidentiality clauses in data-centre planning matters.
 

4.    Correspondence and briefings:

Any correspondence (including emails) or briefing notes between council officers, elected members and data-centre developers or their agents concerning confidentiality, NDAs or the withholding of information from the public domain in relation to data-centre projects since 1 January 2021. (If too large, please provide a schedule or log showing date, parties and subject, rather than full text.)