Plans for £12m data centre beneath Burnley hotel landmark

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 06:19 · Archive

Plans have been submitted to convert the basement and underground car parks of The Brunlea Hotel in Burnley into a £12m data centre.

Plans have been submitted to Burnley Council to convert the basement and underground car parks of The Brunlea Hotel on Keirby Walk into a subterranean data centre valued at £11.98 million. The scheme would cover 4,047 square metres of existing space beneath the building. The proposal has sparked questions about energy use and environmental impact.

The project is linked to Real Big Group, a Burnley-headquartered company that has expanded rapidly in recent years across property, hospitality and leisure sectors. The company operates hotels, estate agencies, lettings firms, property technology companies and entertainment venues, describing itself as a 'family of businesses built in Burnley'.

The planning application describes the scheme as a change of use but provides scant information about operational details. It is unclear who would use the data centre, how much electricity it would consume, or whether it would create any jobs. Much of what is known about the project's scale has emerged from industry sources rather than the planning application itself. Construction intelligence company Glenigan has described the development as demonstrating how former commercial buildings are increasingly being repurposed to meet growing demand for digital infrastructure.

How it is being reported

• Plans submitted for £12m underground data centre beneath iconic Burnley hotelThe company describes itself as a 'family of businesses built in Burnley'LancsLive · 20 Oct, 05:30
• Bid to build £12m data centre underneath iconic Burnley landmarkMysterious plans to create a subterranean data centre beneath one of Burnley's most prominent landmarks have sparked concernsLancashire Telegraph · 20 Oct, 05:00

In this story: The Brunlea Hotel · Burnley · Real Big Group · Burnley Council · Glenigan

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