Rushcliffe Borough Council is expected to approve a series of amendments to the planning framework governing the redevelopment of the former Ratcliffe on Soar power station site, including changes that would allow data centres to be built on land south of the A453.
A report to Cabinet on 14 April 2026 sets out proposed revisions to the site’s Local Development Order (LDO), which was originally adopted in July 2023 to streamline planning and grant outline-style consent for a range of uses, including advanced manufacturing, energy generation and storage. The LDO was introduced in line with government encouragement for Freeport sites, aiming to accelerate development and provide greater certainty to investors.
The latest proposals follow a public consultation held between late November 2025 and early January 2026, which attracted around 60 responses from residents, organisations and statutory bodies. Cabinet is now being asked to note those responses and approve the amended LDO, with authority delegated to officers to finalise and publish the updated document.
The most significant proposed change would allow data centres to be developed on the southern part of the site, rather than restricting them to the north as under the current order. The council report states that while data centres are already identified as an appropriate use, existing constraints mean the northern area is unlikely to be available for major schemes in the short term due to ongoing decommissioning of the power station and planned gypsum extraction works. By contrast, land to the south of the A453 is largely unconstrained and could be brought forward more quickly.
The amendment is also linked to wider regional and national policy developments. The East Midlands Combined County Authority has submitted a bid to government for an AI Growth Zone centred on the site, and data centres have been designated as critical national infrastructure, reflecting their growing role in the digital economy. Supporting documents highlight the rapid expansion of demand driven by artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data processing, with the site considered attractive due to its power supply, water availability and transport links.
Council officers say allowing data centres on the southern site would enable the development to respond to these opportunities and could help accelerate wider regeneration. The report notes that data centres typically generate lower traffic levels than other industrial uses and may fit more easily within existing highway capacity limits, while also providing potential funding for infrastructure improvements through developer contributions.
Consultation responses raised a range of concerns, including potential impacts on the Green Belt, water usage, power demand and whether increased flexibility could alter the overall vision for the site. In response, the report states that data centres were always part of the intended mix of uses and that extending their location does not change the strategic direction of the development or undermine the justification for building in the Green Belt. It also notes that environmental and design issues would be assessed in detail at the later ‘Certificate of Compliance’ stage, when specific proposals are submitted.
Further proposed amendments would allow environmental mitigation schemes to come forward earlier, subject to council approval, rather than being tied to later stages of development. This is intended to provide greater flexibility to support projects such as river improvements or habitat works when opportunities arise, without altering overall biodiversity net gain targets. Another change would clarify that local labour agreements should be agreed on a plot-by-plot basis, reflecting the phased nature of development across the site.
The report concludes that the amendments would help the council respond to changing economic conditions and national policy, improve the deliverability of development and support efforts to attract investment. It also highlights the time-limited nature of the site’s Freeport status, noting that delays to development could risk losing associated financial benefits, including retained business rates.
If approved, the revised LDO would update the types of permitted uses and supporting policy framework for the site, with detailed proposals still requiring further approval through the established compliance process. A full review of the LDO is also scheduled to take place later in 2026.
