Developer makes case for landfill gas

A developer called Era4, which is proposing to build a landfill gas-powered data centre, has explained to NCE how it hopes to expand the use of the electricity generation technology to power the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The planned development at Shelford Farm Estate, Broad Oak Road in Canterbury, Kent has attracted attention due to its plans to partner with a local landfill owner and a petition opposing the plans has gained more than 3,800 signatures. The proposal was considered at Canterbury City Council’s planning committee on 21 July. The council heard Era4 was proposing a “data centre building and compound, engineering operations, fencing, parking and associated works”. Planning officers at the council recommended that the application be granted “subject to safeguarding conditions”. Planning applications tend only to be heard at committee if they face objections. During the 21 July meeting, a planning officer said: “The proposal seeks full planning permission for the erection of a data centre building and compound within the Shelford landfill site. “The proposed data centre would be a small-scale AI data centre accessed from Broad Oak Road to the south via a private driveway. “This application is brought to the planning committee for determination at the request of Cllr McKenzie and Cllr Ricketts so members can consider the impact of the proposed development on water demand and pollution, energy use and security, and increased traffic.” The proposal was put to the councillors and it was agreed that the application be “deferred for a site visit”. Meanwhile, on change.org, a petition titled Prevent the building of a 13,000sq ft AI data centre in Broad Oak, Canterbury has gained 3,857 signatures. It says Era4 claims “to be in support [of] ‘sustainable power’ through ‘domestic renewable energy’ yet lack[s] any transparency by failing to provide detailed methods or examples of how this would happen.” The petition also says data centres could cause an “increase in pollution levels” and “negative health effects on local residents” and calls on the public to help “prevent this from happening in Canterbury”. Responding to the planning committee defering its decision on the application, an Era4 spokesperson told NCE: “The decision to defer our planning application for the site in Shelford was to allow for a site visit to take place – we welcomed this and look forward to continued engagement with committee members, planning officers and the local community in the meantime. “Our expectation is still to conclude the planning process via the regular local authority route as opposed to any alternative designation such as NSIP (nationally significant infrastructure project) status. In addition to these ongoing conversations, we plan to host a drop-in session for the local community to discuss the plans.” The spokesperson also provided more information about their plans to power the site with landfill gas. They said: “The landfill site at Shelford operates in accordance with its environmental permit, issued by the Environment Agency, and is a separate matter to the planning application. “Power generation via landfill gas is a well-established technology, and one that at Era4 we have already used to power our data centre in Chesterfield in Derbyshire that is coming online in Q2 of 2026. “At Era4, we’re proud to be using the waste of the past to help power the economy of the future in the UK. This allows us to bring UK AI compute capacity online as quickly as possible whilst minimising the impact and dependency on the local energy grid.” Promoting the proposal, the spokesperson added: “Our proposals would support local economic growth, create on-site jobs as well as others in the supply chain, and address the pressing national requirement for secure, sustainable, and accessible high-capacity digital computing resources.” Like what you've read? To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Have your say or a new account to join the discussion.