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A large protest took place in Edinburgh, drawing thousands of people who expressed their opposition to the construction of extensive AI data centres. Participants, some wearing costumes and carrying placards, gathered at the summit of the Royal Mile before proceeding down towards the Scottish Parliament. This demonstration is part of a broader European movement that highlights concerns about the environmental consequences of data centres.
The Scottish government is preparing to introduce new planning regulations concerning data centres and is working on a strategic framework to ensure these developments deliver maximum public benefit. Innovation Minister Alyn Smith recently described data centres as “the whisky bonds of the AI sector,” though many protesters strongly disagreed. Slogans such as “AI data centres threaten humanity” and “AI data centres: costing the Earth” were prominently displayed during the march. Some critics voiced their opposition to specific planned data centre projects in locations including Cockenzie, East Lothian, and Larbert, Falkirk.
One local campaigner, Kim Cairns, representing the ‘Say No To Chapelcross AI Data Centre’ group, told BBC Scotland News that her community was worried about disruptions during the construction phase, including noise, road closures, and access difficulties. She also highlighted concerns about ongoing noise pollution once the facility is operational. Kim emphasized the environmental impact, stating: “It’s not going to enrich anybody’s lives. For Chapelcross it’s the sheer size of it, the amount of electricity it’s going to need. At the moment it’s green fields with sheep and cows in it. It’s going to be a monstrosity on the environment. The air pollution, the light pollution – it’s just not needed.”
The debate around data centres in Scotland focuses primarily on their size and their environmental footprint. Currently, the largest data centre in Scotland is DataVita’s facility in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, which operates at a capacity of 12 megawatts. However, plans for a new site at Chapelcross in Dumfries and Galloway could see a vastly increased capacity of 1,000 megawatts, potentially making it one of the largest data centres globally. Environmental campaigners, including the Scottish Greens, have called for a halt to large-scale data centre developments, warning that they could impede the country’s climate objectives and strain renewable energy resources. Smith challenged some of the more alarmist arguments about data centres, commenting that comparisons with poorly planned facilities elsewhere were misleading and that Scotland’s approach was more considered.
Kim Pratt from Friends of the Earth stressed the importance of local input on these projects, pointing out that the developments could bring substantial profits to major tech companies while imposing serious costs on local communities and the environment. She noted the energy-intensive nature of data centres and the potential for increased energy bills and climate impacts. The Scottish government confirmed plans to release updated planning guidance by year-end and mentioned that new requirements are in place for planning authorities to notify ministers about data centre applications. Additionally, an Environmental Impact Assessment is now mandatory for any data centre project exceeding 50 megawatts, reflecting the heightened scrutiny such developments will face
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