The UK government has designated data centers as Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), which provides more protection against critical incidents and allows developers to override local objections to new facilities. The Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, announced last week that CNI classification now includes data centers, equating them to essential services like water and power.

This change notably relaxes previous planning restrictions. Consequently, more data centers are likely to receive approval, which might not sit well with communities near development hotspots such as London. These areas could see an influx of data center constructions, sparking local disputes.

At the recent Think Data for Government conference, concerns about this designation were raised. Ishmael Burdeau, a Lead Business Sustainability Architect for DWP Digital, indicated that classifying data centers as CNI is intended to override local opposition. Burdeau pointed out that such facilities offer minimal local employment and benefits.

While the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has not confirmed whether easing planning permissions was an intentional benefit, their announcement emphasized that the CNI status would reassure investors, citing a recent multi-billion-pound data center investment in Hertfordshire.

Local reactions could be mixed, particularly in regions where previous data center proposals have been rejected, like Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. Commentators caution that the UK should observe the lessons learned from places like Virginia in the US, where unrestricted data center development has led to significant local pushback.