Noisy Neighbours

Is a Data Centre Moving Into Your Area?

Scotland has seen recent planning applications lodged for seventeen new hyperscale data centres, with proposed locations in Glasgow, Edinburgh, and near St Andrews in Auchtertool, Fife.

“Hyperscale” as opposed to a traditional data centre, refers to the massive expanse of computer infrastructure installed — commonly used for artificial intelligence software such as ChatGPT or Gemini — and the complex, water-intensive cooling systems required to operate it. 

Proponents of data centres are keen for Scotland to tap into the rapidly accelerating AI industry, citing the myriad of employment opportunities and economic benefits that stand to be reaped. Longer-term “jobs of the future” have been promised, bringing higher wages and growth to communities.

An investigation by charity Action to Protect Rural Scotland (APRS) found, however, that predictions for AI industry jobs growth were largely inflated, and that most of the employment would be in temporary construction roles. 

In fact, opponents argue that investing further in AI development will only hinder work opportunities, as ever-increasing numbers of people find themselves replaced by artificial agents. 

Noise pollution raises another issue — reports from residents near existing sites describe 24/7 exposure to a loud, low-frequency humming noise.

Additionally, locals highlight concerns about wildlife and recreation spaces, as one data centre proposal in western Edinburgh is planned on greenbelt land, home to nine protected species. 

Vocal opposition to the plans has been piling in on a national level too. If all proposed Scottish data centres receive approval, their total additional energy requirement from the grid would be around 4,500 megawatts (MW), more than the existing winter peak demand for the entirety of Scotland (roughly 4,000 MW). 

Critics argue this would put strain on climate targets and risk increasing electricity prices for thousands of homes. Data centre cooling systems also require drinking-quality water to avoid clogging pipes and components, siphoning this from the public supply.

For example, a 100MW (average-sized) hyperscale data centre can use 2.5 billion litres in a year, which could cater to the water needs of 80,000 people. The proposed site in Fife is planned for 600MW, leaving campaigners and the public questioning where all this water and energy will come from and whether Scotland can afford to provide it.

The term “critical national infrastructure” probably brings to mind things like hospitals, power stations, and transport networks. AI data centres are now also classed as critical infrastructure in the UK and thus are prioritised during electricity blackouts or water shortages.

On Wednesday 16 September, Scottish Parliament members voted on a motion to pause development of data centres across Scotland. A compromise was reached between the original, stricter ban and the agreed rewording, which called on the government to “issue national planning guidance alongside robust environmental standards and assessments” before any new data centres are approved. 

For now, data centre construction has hit a roadblock. The tech industry and government argue Scotland must not be left behind in the AI arms race, but protesters nationwide and campaign groups such as APRS will continue to advocate that the risk of serious environmental damage outweighs any potential economic advantage.

Questions still remain over whether, and how many of, the proposed projects will receive the green light after the new planning guidance is released. The AI boom shows no sign of slowing down, and so the current plans are just the tip of the iceberg — who knows, your town could be next.

Maybe this will give you pause for thought the next time you load up Claude or ChatGPT. Hey, if you’re worried, you could even turn to a different sort of data centre — the library.

Illustration by Maggie Carmone