Water shortage fears as Labour’s first AI growth zone sited close to new reservoir

Datacentres use cooling towers and outside air systems, both of which need clean, fresh water. Photograph: Sergio Azenha/Alamy

Labour’s first artificial intelligence growth zone will be sited close to the UK’s first new reservoir in 30 years, sparking fears that the AI push will add to the “severe pressure” on water supplies in the area.

Keir Starmer announced on Monday that he would hugely increase artificial intelligence capacity and reduce planning restrictions on companies that wanted to build datacentres by setting up “growth zones” with fewer constraints.