What happened
On 28 October 2026, the UK government opened a public consultation (closing 11:59pm on 8 January 2027) on a Draft National Policy Statement (NPS) for Data Centres. The NPS sets out the policy and planning framework for determining development-consent applications for data centres under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) regime in England, providing the criteria the Secretary of State will use to assess impacts and approve or refuse consent. Two impact assessments (Appraisal of Sustainability and Habitats Regulations Assessment) were published alongside it. This follows the missed earlier deadline and comes as Scotland has paused large data-centre planning decisions pending national guidance.
Why it matters
Data centres are the physical substrate of AI deployment, and this NPS will govern the consenting regime for large AI data-centre projects in England — determining where and how AI compute infrastructure can be built, and the environmental and planning requirements attached. It gives developers a forward planning framework and is material for anyone in the AI infrastructure supply chain.
Action needed
Data-centre developers, operators and infrastructure providers in England should review the draft NPS and its two impact assessments and submit consultation responses by 8 January 2027, aligning planned projects with the NPS criteria.