A fresh approach for the former Honey Monster Factory site
Copyright WAX Architectural Visualisations
Planning application submitted to the London Borough of Ealing.
We’re pleased to confirm that we’ve submitted a planning application for the former Honey Monster Factory site to the London Borough of Ealing. After a number of unsuccessful attempts to transform the site under previous owners, we took over the entire freehold in 2023 and now have a fantastic opportunity to deliver on this site’s enormous potential.
We’d like to thank everyone who has engaged with us about our plans for high-quality jobs, affordable workspaces and beautiful canal-side experiences for the Southall community.
Our proposals
A UK-leading data centre right here in Southall
Comprising 12 ‘data halls’, powered by 100% renewable energy.
Investing in sustainable transport
Significant travel improvements, including new public paths for pedestrians and cyclists and a new bus route.
New canal-side experiences
Affordable workspaces for small local businesses
Around 3,500sqm of affordable workspace for local start-ups, freelancers, creatives and small businesses at discounted rates.
High-quality, well-paid jobs
Creation of around 650 jobs with higher than average salaries compared to the previously consented scheme, alongside 1,200 jobs during construction and apprenticeships including training opportunities for local people throughout the operation of the new facility.
Help bring our proposals to life
Do you want to see our plans for high-quality jobs and beautiful canal-side experiences brought to life right here in Southall? You can now share your comments with Ealing Council and help to ensure this project and all its benefits are delivered.
View of the proposed data centre from Glade Lane Canalside Park mounds showing the proposed outdoor cinema screen (copyright WAX Architectural Visualisations)
The story so far
October 2024 – September 2025
Public consultation with local residents, groups and politicians including two public exhibition events at Southall Library
September 2025
Planning application submitted to Ealing Council
Early 2026
Planning application considered at Ealing Council’s planning committee
Late 2026
Work begins on site (subject to planning permission)
2030
All works are expected to be complete, and the campus opened
FAQs
About CyrusOne and data centres
Who is CyrusOne and what is a data centre?
CyrusOne is a leading global data centre developer and operator, with more than 55 data campuses worldwide. We’re investing £2.5 billion in the UK.
Data centres are buildings which house the internet and computing equipment that enable us to store and process data. Big businesses, including the world’s leading tech companies, store and process their data in centres like these.
Importantly, they let us use everyday digital services such as WhatsApp, social media platforms, video conferencing tools and streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Recognising the importance of data centres and the role they play in housing critical information like NHS records and sensitive financial investment information, last year the Government classed data centres as ‘Critical National Infrastructure’, putting them on an equal footing with water, energy and emergency service systems.
What type of jobs are usually associated with data centres and what would the average pay be?
We will offer local apprenticeships and better training opportunities for local people throughout the operation of the new facility and are currently engaging with community organisations and schools to ensure the jobs, training and apprenticeship opportunities benefit local people the most.
We are also working with Women in Data to open more opportunities for young girls and women in the data and technology sector through this development.
How will the data centre affect local water and energy supplies?
CyrusOne is committed to extremely high standards of sustainability as a founding signatory to the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact. This Pact ensures that data centres meet challenging standards regarding clean energy use, energy consumption, water consumption and other key environmental metrics.
Critically, the proposed data centre uses an air-cooling system instead of evaporating cooling, meaning no additional pressure will be put on local water supplies.
Further to this, the campus will be powered by renewable sources from outside the local network and the south edge of the data centre will also be cladded in a PV solar façade estimated to produce around 1,000,000 kWh of electricity per year. This is the equivalent of electricity used by 370 average UK homes.
About the site
Where is the site?
The former Honey Monster Factory site is located on Bridge Road, Southall (0.5 miles from Southall Station) and is approximately 6.8 hectares in size. The site has been vacant for almost 10 years, after the Honey Monster Factory ceased operation in 2016.
Has the site already received planning permission?
Having taken over the entire freehold for the site in 2023, we’re now in a fantastic position to finally deliver on the site’s enormous potential. Not only are we looking to deliver a vitally important piece of local, regional and national infrastructure, we’ve taken this opportunity to go even further than the previously consented schemes with higher salary jobs, creating significantly more construction jobs and affordable workspaces for local people and businesses.
What we’re proposing
What are your proposals for the site?
We are committed to building and fostering long-term relationships with the communities we operate in so, in addition to the data centre, we are also looking to provide c. 3,500sqm of affordable workspace for local start-ups, freelancers, creatives and small businesses at discounted rates. We will also provide new canal-side experiences, including nature and public art trails, an outdoor gym and cinema, café and shops. We are also looking to deliver significant travel improvements, including new public paths for pedestrians and cyclists and a bus route.
How will you manage any increase in traffic in the area?
Under the previous plans for a logistics campus, 699 daily trips would have been made to the site, with 155 by HGVs. Our initial estimates show that during operation of the data centre campus, up to 393 (which is 303 fewer) vehicles will travel to the site each day, with only a maximum of 6 trips per day made by HGVs. Given this significant reduction in deliveries, particularly by HGVs, we believe this scheme will be better for the local traffic and road network compared to previously consented schemes for the site.
We are also engaged with Ealing Council to explore improvements on Bridge Road, such as provision of bus stops and turning head to facilitate the Council’s and TfL’s aspirations for the Healum Avenue extension.
How will you minimise the impact of the scheme on neighbouring residents?
The substation will be enclosed within a building with a green roof to ensure any noise or potential disturbances are minimised. Our analysis shows the impact on daylight/sunlight for neighbouring residents will be very low due to the location of the campus being some distance away from homes.
Furthermore, following discussion with residents living on houseboats at Maypole Dock, we have introduced visual screening into the landscape design to preserve privacy for these residents.
What are the on-site security arrangements?
We are also looking to provide outdoor lighting along the new canal-side link and public spaces during the evenings, to provide additional security. These measures will address local issues of fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour, which we are aware have increased since the site became vacant.