Scottish government accused of huge failure on data centres

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Fears have been growing around the country over a wave of speculative planning applications for hyperscale data centres, which — with one 1,000-megawatt proposal in Irvine alone amounting to the equivalent of 25 per cent of Scotland’s peak electricity demand — could spell disaster for Scotland’s net-zero ambitions.

While voting down Green proposals for a moratorium back in September, Scottish Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad did commit to producing national guidance by Christmas and insisted no applications over 50 megawatts would be approved until then.

Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie wrote to Ms Goodlad calling for a full public consultation on that guidance, but her response has fallen short of his hopes.

She wrote: “In developing planning guidance, the Scottish government will draw on targeted input from planning authorities, key agencies and relevant experts from within the scientific community to ensure it is informed by the best available evidence and expertise.

“Existing mechanisms within the planning system will continue to provide opportunities for communities and the public to influence decisions about future development proposals, and the guidance can help support that including through advice on early engagement with communities.”

Hitting out at the decision not to launch a full public consultation, Mr Harvie said: “The Scottish government has already ignored the overwhelming call from communities for an outright moratorium on new data centre applications.

“Now there’s a very real risk that they will sit behind closed doors letting the industry write new planning guidance, without letting communities have their say.”

Calling for a rethink, he said: “This is a huge failure from the Scottish government, allowing the corporate capture of our planning system at a time when communities should have a say in how our land, water and energy are being used.

“By refusing to carry out a robust public consultation ahead of issuing guidance, it seems that the loudest voices we can expect to hear will be the vested interests in the tech industry waiting to profit.

“There must be a clear commitment from the government that the interests of communities will be paramount, not simply the desires of industry, in the forthcoming guidance.”

The Scottish government was contacted for comment.