Mapeley eyes £200m data centre at former Microsoft UK site

Mapeley, the property owner of Microsoft’s former UK headquarters in Reading, has submitted plans to Wokingham Borough Council for a £200m data centre at the Thames Valley Park site. The proposal involves demolishing three office buildings and replacing them with a data centre that would stand up to 30.5 meters tall, roughly equivalent to a 10-storey building. The scheme includes on-site power generation, backup generators, and office space, with Microsoft set to vacate the site by the end of 2027 when its lease expires.

The data centre would require up to 110MW of electricity, though only 1.8MW of National Grid capacity is currently available. Developers propose using natural gas for on-site power generation until the local electricity network is upgraded. Additionally, the proposal suggests utilizing heat from the data centre to supply a future district heating network, potentially serving locations like Royal Berkshire Hospital and the University of Reading.

While the plans promise a £200m investment in Britain’s digital infrastructure and up to 65 jobs once operational, they have faced public objections. Concerns include noise, heat generation, carbon emissions, wildlife impact, and proximity to Thames Valley Park Nature Reserve. Supporters argue the site is ideal for a major digital infrastructure project, and a biodiversity assessment claims the development would exceed government requirements with a net gain of over 22%.

Wokingham Borough Council will review the application, with a decision expected by March 2027. The application can be viewed on the council’s planning portal under reference 262274.