Data center operator Global Switch is looking to build another data center at its Frankfurt campus in Germany.
However, as reported by Datacenter Insider, the city of Frankfurt is preventing such a build from going ahead.
According to the Datacenter Insider report, in 2022 the City Council of the City of Frankfurt am Main decided on "long-term urban development goals" for the city as a whole, which would involve designating areas of the city for specific industry and commerce developments - including data centers.
In December 2024, the City Council firmed up these plans, including a development plan "No. 946 - East of the A5 / Eschborner Landstraße - Section 1" which included land owned by Global Switch.
The Global Switch land has not been approved for data center construction.
Datacenter Insider reports that Global Switch's managing director, Jens Leuchters, has criticized the decision, stating that the planning committee "should take economic concerns more into account," and threatened legal challenge. DCD has contacted Global Switch for comment.
Martin Hunscher from the city planning office has confirmed the claim, stating: "It is true that a property owner has publicly stated within the scope of a binding development plan procedure that is currently underway that after the development plan in question has been completed and has become legally binding, she wants to challenge it by means of an application under Section 47 of the Administrative Court Act."
Despite this, Hunscher added that there is currently no conflict between the City of Frankfurt and Global Switch, and that Global Switch has time to submit a qualified statement for "the publication of the draft development plan in accordance with Section 3 (2) of the Federal Building Code."
Global Switch's data center campus in Frankfurt currently comprises two data centers: Frankfurt South with 17,686 sqm (190,370 sqm) of space, and Frankfurt North with 11,862 sqm (127,682 sqm). Frankfurt North was completed in March 2024 by Mercury Engineering, the main contractor.
