Thundering past the field every day, in the Three Rivers district, are thousands of trucks and cars. The patch of land slopes down to the M25 and the roar of traffic is deafening.

 

But this small piece of land, which includes a scrapyard, could help safeguard Britain’s economic future, and maintain our digital leadership among the world’s economies.

 

This land, near Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire, could unlock £1 billion of foreign direct investment. It could bring hundreds of well-paid local jobs, a new country park and £12 million to use for the education and training of local people.

 

That’s because there is a plan to build a large-scale data centre here. There is a catch, though. The land is on the edge of the green belt, and some people are opposed to developing in the green belt under any circumstances, even though it makes up 12.6% of the land in England.