Residents in east London are fighting a datacentre planned for Brick Lane, saying the site should hold homes, not servers. The twist: it would serve high-frequency trading, not AI.
Britain’s datacentre backlash has reached the heart of east London. Residents around Brick Lane oppose a plan for the old Truman Brewery site. It would put a datacentre there, Matthew Taylor reports for the Guardian. The street is known for its curry houses and 24-hour bagel shops.
The Save Brick Lane campaign says the 5,200 sq metre facility would bring no benefit. Its members want housing instead. Tower Hamlets council has 31,000 people on its social housing waiting list.
“We have a severe housing crisis here,” said Jonathan Moberly, a resident and campaigner. He wants the site to hold affordable, ideally council, homes. “This datacentre will bring literally no benefit to anyone living here,” he added.
Not an AI datacentre at all
