Matt Bartram, chief executive of Norwich Apex Ltd, said the scheme opposite Tesco Harford Bridge on the A140 could help turn Norwich into a "tech hub" amid booming demand for artificial intelligence (AI).

The facility could house up to 10,000 computer servers across 12 data halls and will be one of the county's largest private sector investment schemes.

Matt Bartram (Image: Sonya Duncan)

The proposals have drawn significant controversy from campaigners since they were first unveiled in June, with concerns focused on the environmental effects it could have on the nearby Marston Marsh.

But Mr Bartram, who is also managing director of Norwich-based firm Future Built Ltd, and his team say they want to create one of the "UK’s greenest data centres."

A key driver of that is the proximity of the proposed site – which already has planning permission to become an industrial park – to the Hornsea 3 onshore converter substation and Norwich Main substation.

How the data centre could look (Image: Norwich Apex Ltd)

Hornsea 3, which is one mile away from the site, is generating an additional 2.9GW of power for the Norwich Main substation.

This energy will be transmitted to the data centre’s substation through two high voltage connection points.

NOT HAPPENED OVERNIGHT

For Mr Bartram, this has been a journey 15 years in the making. Only in the last few years has it pivoted in the current direction.

He became involved in the initial plans for the site in 2011, before plans for an industrial estate emerged in 2015.

Matt Bartram, CEO of Norwich Apex Ltd (Image: Sonya Duncan)

Those plans themselves proved to be controversial, with locals forming the StopTheBlot campaign group.

At that time, residents said they were "not sure what was going to be on the estate".

South Norfolk Council eventually approved the scheme in 2022, despite opposition from TV presenter and podcaster Jake Humphrey – who........

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