Data-centre rules
Data centre regulation in the United Kingdom
Our tracker lists 8 rules for building and running a data centre in the United Kingdom, and 2 of them are in force.
Each comes with its status, who it applies to and the next date that matters. When a rule here changes, the change is logged below with its date.
Rules that apply in the United Kingdom
National rules first. Status as on the tracker.
| Rule | Level | Status | Applies to | Next date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure Planning (Business or Commercial Projects) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/13), Schedule paragraph 10 Data centres | National | In force since 8 January 2026. Section 35 directions issued for Wapseys Wood (16 March 2026), Ampthill Road, Bedford (15 June 2026) and Dartford (1 July 2026) | New sites. England. Data centre projects that the Secretary of State directs into the nationally significant infrastructure regime because they are of national significance; a direction is possible only for development in England. The Regulations set no size threshold; the Dartford direction covers up to 300 MW total power load and 240 MW IT load | No date published. DSIT said on 17 July 2026 it will publish a National Policy Statement for data centres, without a date |
| National Planning Policy Framework, August 2026, policies E1 and E2 and flood risk Table 2 | National | In force. Decision-making policies took effect on 17 August 2026 | New sites. England. E1 asks plans to provide for data centres, generating capacity and grid connections; E2 names co-location of large generators and data centres; flood risk Table 2 lists data centres as essential infrastructure | No date published |
| Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill, clause 4 (data centres regulated as essential services) | National | Bill before the House of Lords, at report stage | New and existing sites. Data centre services in the United Kingdom with rated IT load of 1 MW or more, or 10 MW or more where the data centre serves the owner's own undertaking. Ofcom is the designated authority | 26 October 2026 (Lords report stage) |
| Ofgem proposed data centre connection reforms: Data Centre Commitment Fee and queue management milestones | National | Proposal. Consultation closed in September 2026; Ofgem lists it as awaiting decision | Grid applicants. Great Britain grid. Fee of about GBP 237,500 to 712,500 per MW of requested capacity for data centres of 40 MW or more connecting at transmission, or at distribution if subject to a Transmission Entry Assessment; returned if the project proceeds as planned, forfeited if it ends or fails the requirements. Queue milestones proposed from 10 MW rated IT load | Ofgem intends to take decisions later in 2026; no exact date published |
| AI Growth Zones (application criteria and proposed electricity cost reduction) | National | Applications open with no closing date. Five zones listed as announced (Oxfordshire, North East, North Wales, South Wales, Scotland). Electricity cost reduction is a stated plan, not yet legislated | Zone applicants. Sites showing access to at least 500 MW of power by 2030 and water for 500 MW of AI infrastructure. Planned electricity cost reduction for data centres in AI Growth Zones of up to GBP 24/MWh in Scotland, 16 in Cumbria and 14 in the North East | April 2027 for the electricity cost reduction, subject to legislative timetables; review point in 2030 |
| Scottish Parliament motion S7M-01177 on hyperscale data centres, as amended | National | Motion agreed on 16 September 2026. It is a motion, not legislation. The Scottish Government has committed to national planning guidance by the end of 2026 | Hyperscale data centre planning applications in Scotland. The motion believes new sites should be approved only after robust environmental impact assessments, and that no planning or consenting decisions should be made until national guidance is complete | End of 2026: Scottish Government to report back to Parliament on the guidance, then publish it in full within 12 months |
| Climate Change Agreements (Administration, Energy-intensive Installations and Eligible Facilities) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/826), Schedule paragraph 37 | National | Made 7 July 2026; in force 1 January 2027 | New and existing sites. Installations where a data facility is leased or licensed for use as a data centre. A data facility is a room or rooms used mainly for computer equipment, with regulated temperature and humidity, an electricity supply of at least 200 kW and a back-up supply when the mains fails | 1 January 2027 |
| Critical National Infrastructure designation of data centres | National | Announced by the Technology Secretary on 12 September 2024 | New and existing sites. UK data centres. Examples given: a dedicated CNI data infrastructure team and prioritised access to the National Cyber Security Centre | No date published |
The United Kingdom in detail
What the national rules say, with the legal texts.
The Infrastructure Planning (Business or Commercial Projects) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 have applied since 8 January 2026. They let the Secretary of State direct a data centre project in England into the nationally significant infrastructure regime, with no size threshold in the text. Wapseys Wood, Ampthill Road in Bedford and Dartford were directed in 2026. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill would regulate data centres of 1 MW rated IT load or more, or 10 MW for a site serving only its owner, under Ofcom; Lords report stage is on 26 October 2026. Ofgem proposes a commitment fee of GBP 237,500 to 712,500 per MW for connections of 40 MW or more, with decisions due later in 2026. In Scotland, the Parliament agreed motion S7M-01177 on 16 September 2026 by 80 votes to 26 with 15 abstentions. It is not legislation. It calls on the Scottish Government to define a hyperscale data centre, issue national planning guidance and report back by the end of 2026, and it says no decisions on planning or consenting should be made until that guidance is complete.
Dates to watch
The next dates for the United Kingdom, soonest first.
- 26 Oct 2026House of Lords report stage of the United Kingdom's Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which would regulate data centres from 1 MW rated IT load
- 1 Jan 2027The United Kingdom's amended Climate Change Agreements regulations come into force and cover data facilities with an electricity supply of at least 200 kW
Formal refusals and bans since 2025
Verified decisions only. Absence is not evidence of low planning risk.
Decisions on single sites
- 20 Apr 2026Amlwch, Anglesey Planning application refused by the councilStatus not confirmed
- 4 Feb 2026Edinburgh Planning permission in principle refused by the councilUnder appeal; ministers to decide
Decisions from 1 Jan 2025; statuses checked 11 Oct 2026.
What changed
Every change to these rules on the tracker, newest first.
- 17 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Scottish Parliament motion S7M-01177 on hyperscale data centres, as amended (Motion agreed on 16 September 2026. It is a motion, not legislation. The Scottish Government has committed to national planning guidance by the end of 2026).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Infrastructure Planning (Business or Commercial Projects) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/13), Schedule paragraph 10 Data centres (In force since 8 January 2026. Section 35 directions issued for Wapseys Wood (16 March 2026), Ampthill Road, Bedford (15 June 2026) and Dartford (1 July 2026)).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: National Planning Policy Framework, August 2026, policies E1 and E2 and flood risk Table 2 (In force. Decision-making policies took effect on 17 August 2026).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Cyber Security and Resilience (Network and Information Systems) Bill, clause 4 (data centres regulated as essential services) (Bill before the House of Lords, at report stage).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Ofgem proposed data centre connection reforms: Data Centre Commitment Fee and queue management milestones (Proposal. Consultation closed in September 2026; Ofgem lists it as awaiting decision).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: AI Growth Zones (application criteria and proposed electricity cost reduction) (Applications open with no closing date. Five zones listed as announced (Oxfordshire, North East, North Wales, South Wales, Scotland). Electricity cost reduction is a stated plan, not yet legislated).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Climate Change Agreements (Administration, Energy-intensive Installations and Eligible Facilities) (Amendment and Revocation) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/826), Schedule paragraph 37 (Made 7 July 2026; in force 1 January 2027).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Critical National Infrastructure designation of data centres (Announced by the Technology Secretary on 12 September 2024).
Get an alert for the United Kingdom
We write to this list when a rule here changes status or a date moves, usually within a week of the change appearing in the log above. Nothing else, and your address is never shared.
Questions
Which rules apply to a data centre in the United Kingdom?
Our tracker lists 8 rules for building and running a data centre in the United Kingdom, and 2 of them are in force.
What is the next date for data centre rules in the United Kingdom?
The next date is 26 Oct 2026: House of Lords report stage of the United Kingdom's Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which would regulate data centres from 1 MW rated IT load.
From the European data-centre regulation tracker, which cites the legal text for every rule. Data-centre market data for the United Kingdom. Grid connection for data centres in the United Kingdom.
Sources: legislation.gov.uk, Scottish Parliament.