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From an early site appraisal to full multidisciplinary support for a major campus, we bring power, planning, engineering and cost advice together from the very start.
We support hyperscale campuses, colocation facilities and edge facilities, working with developers, operators, investors, landowners and their professional teams. Our specialists cover planning, utilities and power, air quality, acoustics, transport, hydrology, ground conditions, sustainability, civil, structural and building services engineering, cost and commercial advice and project delivery.
Why Choose Brookbanks for Data Centres
Data centre projects move quickly. Advances in technology, changing demand and wider market conditions can all influence scope and budgets during the planning and design period, and securing sufficient power is often central to whether a site can proceed. In our experience, successful delivery depends on early planning engagement, reliable cost forecasting, early engagement with utility providers and other third parties, careful design coordination, proactive supply chain management and clear governance.
Our multidisciplinary team works as one. Drawing on our data centre and mission-critical experience, we help clients and project teams manage planning, utility and sustainability requirements together, respond flexibly as scope evolves and keep the client’s objectives firmly in view, helping projects progress efficiently.
Key Client Benefits
- Our early appraisals identify power, planning and site constraints, so that investment decisions are based on a clear picture of what a site can support.
- Planning, environmental, engineering, cost and delivery advice is coordinated through one integrated team, reducing interfaces and simplifying project management.
- We engage directly with network operators, planning authorities and other stakeholders to establish practical routes to connection and consent.
- Reliable cost forecasting, risk management and cost control help keep projects commercially on track as requirements evolve.
- Support continues from the first site appraisal through to construction, commissioning and operational readiness.
How We Support Data Centre Projects
Site Selection, Feasibility and Planning
Power availability, planning policy, access, flood risk, ground conditions and the potential effects of noise and generator emissions on neighbours all influence whether a site is right for a data centre. Our specialists assess these together at an early stage, giving clients a clear understanding of a site’s potential before they commit to it.
Our planning specialists then help clients prepare clear, well-evidenced applications that respond positively to local policy and stakeholder priorities. National planning policy increasingly recognises data centres and digital infrastructure as part of a modern economy, and we help clients present the case for their scheme with confidence.
Read our NPPF 2026 review for what recent policy changes mean for digital infrastructure.
Power and Utilities
Securing sufficient power is central to the viability of most data centre sites. Our utilities specialists assess existing network capacity, reinforcement requirements, diversions and connection options, identifying the issues that could influence acquisition, layout, phasing and programme before key decisions are fixed.
We engage directly with Distribution Network Operators (DNOs), Independent Distribution Network Operators (IDNOs) and other network providers to establish practical connection strategies that balance cost, programme, capacity and resilience. Because large connections can involve long lead-in times, early engagement gives clients the certainty they need for planning, funding and delivery.
Listen to our podcast on energy pressures in industrial and logistics projects, which explores the power needs of data centres and other high-demand uses.
Air Quality, Acoustics and Environmental Assessment
Our air quality specialists assess emissions from standby generation, including testing regimes, operational scenarios and the cumulative effect of multiple sources, with advice on plant location, exhaust configuration and mitigation. Our acoustics experts assess noise and vibration from cooling plant, generators and other building services, helping facilities sit comfortably alongside their neighbours.
Alongside this, our hydrology and ground specialists cover flood risk, drainage strategy, Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), ground conditions and contamination, giving the project team a complete environmental picture to support planning and design.
Transport, Access and Security
Data centres operate very differently from most commercial uses, so transport assessments need to reflect how each facility will actually work. Our highways and transportation specialists prepare bespoke transport assessment methodologies tailored to the operational characteristics of each site.
We also advise on vehicle access strategies that incorporate the enhanced security requirements associated with data centre facilities, and assess the transport feasibility of potential sites, particularly where abnormal loads such as large plant and equipment need to be delivered.
Engineering and Sustainable Design
Our civil engineering, structural engineering and building services engineering specialists provide coordinated design for site infrastructure, structures and building services, including power distribution, standby generation, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems and data and communications services.
Our sustainability specialists provide sustainability advice and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) services for data centres, helping clients set clear energy and carbon objectives early and carry them through design and construction.
Cost, Programme and Delivery
Our cost and commercial advice specialists provide reliable cost forecasting, cost planning and commercial management, helping clients understand the commercial effect of changing requirements and keep budgets under control.
Our project management specialists coordinate programme, supply chain, third parties and governance, keeping communication clear across the client and project team. This helps projects stay on track from design through to construction, commissioning and operational readiness.
Our Experience
Our data centre specialists support projects of every type and scale. On hyperscale campuses, power, infrastructure, environmental and planning considerations need to be coordinated across multiple buildings and phases. For colocation facilities serving multiple tenants, resilience, flexibility and efficient delivery are key to long-term commercial performance. Edge facilities, located close to the users they serve, often sit on constrained urban or edge-of-town sites where access, noise, power and planning need careful coordination.
We work for developers, operators, investors and landowners, as well as the wider professional team, from focused technical studies on a single site to full multidisciplinary support. Our transport specialists have led the progression of several data centre developments, and our wider mission-critical experience means we understand the performance, resilience and programme standards these facilities demand.
Our experts understand that design teams are often corresponding and co-ordinating across geographical regions and timezones, and therefore flexibility, the ability to deliver on time, and to quality, are paramount in this Industry Sector. We work ‘as one’, both internally and when integrated into a Design Team, to ensure the successful design, delivery and operation of the Project.
Talk to Our Data Centre Specialists
If you are appraising a site or progressing a data centre through planning, design or delivery, contact a member of the team directly, or email hello@brookbanks.com and one of our experts will get back to you.
Group Director, Development Management, and Head of Yorkshire and North East Office
Tori Hall
tori.hall@brookbanks.com
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FAQs
What makes a site suitable for a data centre?
Power availability is usually the most important factor, alongside planning policy, access, flood risk, ground conditions and the potential effects of noise and generator emissions on neighbours. Our specialists assess these together at an early stage, so that clients understand a site’s true potential before committing to it.
How early should we think about power and utilities?
From the very start. Large power connections can involve long lead-in times and reinforcement works, so early capacity assessment and engagement with network operators provides the certainty needed for planning, funding and delivery.
Do you assess standby generator emissions and noise?
Yes. Our air quality specialists assess emissions from standby generation, testing regimes and operational scenarios, including the cumulative effect of multiple sources. Our acoustics experts assess noise from generators, cooling plant and other building services, and both teams advise on plant location and mitigation.
Can you help with transport and access for a data centre?
Yes. We prepare transport assessments tailored to how each facility will operate, advise on secure vehicle access arrangements and assess whether a site can accommodate abnormal loads for the delivery of large plant and equipment.