Plans have been submitted to build a colossal data centre near the M5 motorway in Bridgwater, potentially covering an area larger than 180 football pitches. Express Distribution Park Ltd, a company based in Bridgwater, filed an initial screening request on Christmas Eve for the development of the site located between the A39 Bath Road and an existing solar farm east of junction 23.
The proposed facility is set to span 129 hectares (approximately 319 acres) and could rise up to 28 metres in height, making it a striking presence in the local landscape. Somerset Council has approved this preliminary screening despite objections from the community, allowing for more detailed plans to be developed by the data centre’s future operator.
Access to the site will be from Bath Road, and the centre will demand a substantial power supply estimated at around 500MW, most of which is expected to be generated by the adjacent solar farm. However, no detailed masterplan has been made public, nor has the operator been identified. The number of jobs the facility might create remains unknown.
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The initial documentation highlights plans to incorporate extensive green and blue infrastructure, aiming to provide new opportunities for sport, leisure, and well-being activities, along with biodiversity enhancements. Construction is anticipated to take three and a half years, suggesting that the data centre will likely become operational in the early 2030s—well after the nearby gigafactory is up and running.
A spokesperson for Lichfields, representing the applicant, emphasized the growing importance of digital technology in everyday life, noting that data centres are now critical infrastructure supporting the expanding digital economy in Somerset. They highlighted Somerset’s transition towards a dynamic, digitally-focused economy attracting diverse sectors.
Despite these ambitions, local opposition has been voiced by Bridgwater Without Parish Council, which raised concerns about flooding risks and increased heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic during construction. Parish clerk K. Lang pointed out that much of the site falls within Flood Zone 3, areas deemed highly vulnerable to flooding by the Environment Agency. The development’s large impermeable surfaces and extensive hard-standing areas on low-lying land pose significant flood risks that have yet to be satisfactorily addressed.
Additionally, the height of the proposed buildings, rising up to 28 metres, will dominate views across the Levels, Puriton, and Horsey. The construction phase could also result in substantial HGV movements along the A39 and neighboring roads, further impacting the local community. The council disputes that the site is the least disruptive option for such a development.
More comprehensive proposals are expected to be submitted to Somerset Council within the year as the project moves closer to detailed planning.