Yours for just £2million, shame about the views: Historic English estate once owned by Oliver Cromwell’s family is going for a song. But is the price tag due to the spectre of a huge data centre on the horizon?
Jaggards, a 700-year-old Grade II-listed manor house once owned by Oliver Cromwell's family, has seen its asking price plummet from £3.5 million to £1.95–£2 million in just two years. The dramatic £1.5 million reduction is widely attributed to plans for a £250 million "mega" artificial intelligence data centre to be built less than half a mile away, demonstrating the potential impact of major infrastructure projects on rural property values.
The proposed data centre, to be constructed on former Ministry of Defence land near Corsham, Wiltshire, will stand 61 feet tall and measure 600 feet long. Despite receiving over 1,000 objections from residents, Wiltshire County Council approved the project in February, with the Neston Westwells Action Group expressing concerns about drainage, noise, light pollution, and water usage for cooling systems. Local residents report that several properties have already been withdrawn from the market or sold at reduced prices, whilst the government maintains the data centre is essential for national security.
- Historic manor house price drops £1.5m ahead of nearby £250m data centre development
- Wiltshire Council approved project despite 1,000+ objections from concerned residents
- Local property values threatened; residents cite noise, pollution and lack of community benefits