Plans for a new £1 billion data centre close to the world-famous Pinewood Studios site, have been approved.

Pinewood Group had submitted an application to Buckinghamshire Council to build the new centre on land to the south of the company’s studios, which has now been given the green light. It is estimated that the development would cost over £1 billion to build and includes a 55,030 square metre ‘state-of-the-art’ data centre.

Plans would also see a 60-acre nature reserve created with a six-acre community garden and learning space. Conservative MP Joy Morrissey objected to the plans; she said the development represented yet another attempt to develop the Green Belt, which in this instance places a vital role in preserving the character and openness of the environment.

The Ivers Parish Council also objected to the plans raising concerns about the location of the proposed centre in the Green Belt. However Fulmer Parish Council supported the application, but it said it would like to see residents’ concerns about energy and water use addressed.

Pinewood Studios in Bucks is the home of the Star Wars franchise. (Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

placeholder image — Pinewood Studios in Bucks is the home of the Star Wars franchise. (Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)

The council received four letters raising concerns with the plans. They said that the proposed access would make entering or leaving homes on Pinewood Road virtually impossible and dangerous. Also raising concerns about the potential environmental impact of the plans.

It is expected that the development would generate about £125 million a year for the economy. With the construction phase creating around 1,300 full-time equivalent jobs. The facility is expected to generate approximately 235 permanent jobs once the centre becomes operational.

The land is currently agricultural grassland and classed as greenbelt. The data halls will be limited to a height of 22.5 meters, about the height of five double decker buses.

Pinewood Studio opened in 1936 and is known for the filming of the James Bond and Star Wars franchises. The company previously said it had changed its plans for the site due to “a reduction in global film and high-end television production, which has triggered a review of our existing planning consent”.

The updated proposals differ from an earlier scheme approved in 2023, which included 21 new stages.