Following publication of Haarlemmermeer’s current local policy, the city only allows for moderate growth and concentration of data centers until 2030 with 550 megavolt amperes (in addition to some data centers for which environmental permit applications have already been submitted).5 No additional space for data centers is available in Haarlemmermeer after 2030 (except for some specific locations).These conditions relate to the spatial quality and landscape integration, energy use and sustainability of the data centers.
The policy has been implemented in two steps. The first step is the umbrella zoning plan6 in which a number of aspects of the data center policy are regulated (paraplubestemmingsplan). This sets out the first group of important spatial elements for new data centers or the expansion of existing data centers. Under these conditions, it will still be possible to build a new data center in the coming years if the spatial plan already allows and additional landscaping and sustainability criteria are met. The definition of a data center in the umbrella zoning plan is “an enterprise whose primary purpose is the digital storage and processing of information on computers (servers).”7 However, this definition seems more applicable to the customer of a data center, who places their servers there, than the owner/operator of a data center who only provides power, connectivity, cooling and security. There is no minimum capacity to which the umbrella zoning plan applies. This is different for the Amsterdam and North Holland data center policies, which apply specifically from 5 MVA upwards.
The second step to implement the policy is to fully secure Haarlemmermeer’s data center policy in a few years’ time, by designating a number of specific areas where data centers will still be allowed. For the remainder, new data centers will then no longer be allowed. In the designated areas, the growth of data centers can be better controlled.