Plans for a major 72MW data centre at Thames Valley Park are moving ahead, with the project team telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service it remains on track to submit a planning application to Wokingham Borough Council by the end of September.
The centre would be built on part of the Microsoft campus in east Reading, replacing office buildings the developers say are underused.
There was a public consultation earlier this year, including a July drop-in at Pearson Hall in Sonning. The team said it was pleased with engagement, though residents raised concerns about energy use, emissions and the wider environmental impact.
Plans say the centre would use fuel cells powered by natural gas to generate electricity while extra grid capacity is brought forward. Feedback was also sought on how a proposed community benefit fund could be used locally.
The developers estimate the scheme could support up to 245 construction jobs and at least 115 full-time equivalent roles once operational, involve more than £200 million of construction investment and generate business rates for local services.
The proposed development would take about 5.3 hectares of the Thames Valley Park business site and, the project team says, provide a long-term use for the land as demand for office space declines.
The application will be considered by Wokingham Borough Council once submitted; the council said in July that no planning application had been received and it would be inappropriate to comment before one arrived.
The project website currently lists autumn 2026 as the planned timeframe for submitting the application, with construction expected between 2027 and 2031 and the centre becoming operational from 2031. More detailed assessments on noise, ecology and landscaping are expected as part of the full application.
Katie French, Local Democracy Reporter
Reading's Local Plan Set for Key Updates
Reading MP Takes Charge of Equality Committee
