Thousands protest in Edinburgh against AI data centres

Demonstrators carrying placards with slogans such as “AI data centres threaten humanity” and “AI data centres: costing the Earth” assembled in Edinburgh, with some dressed in costume to draw attention to particular issues. The protest comes as part of a wave of demonstrations across Europe and ahead of the Scottish government publishing new planning guidance on data centres before the end of the year.

Innovation Minister Alyn Smith has described data centres as “the whisky bonds of the AI sector,” but protesters made clear their disagreement, voicing opposition to plans for centres in specific communities including Cockenzie in East Lothian and Larbert in Falkirk.

Kim Cairns, a campaigner for 'Say No To Chapelcross AI Data Centre', said her community was worried about noise, road closures and access problems during construction, as well as noise once operational. "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," she said. "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."

Scotland's data centre debate centres on the scale and impact of the sites. The biggest data centre in Scotland is thought to be DataVita's site in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, with a capacity of 12MW, but the proposed Chapelcross centre would have a capacity of 1,000MW, making it one of the largest in the world. The Scottish Greens and campaign groups have called for a moratorium on large data centres, arguing they could undermine climate targets and place additional pressure on renewable energy supplies.

Friends of the Earth campaigner Kim Pratt said the way data centres are being proposed will make profits for big tech companies but have huge impacts for people in Scotland. "These developments are so massive they're going to have national-level impacts - they're energy hungry developments," she said. "There would be a massive increase in our energy bills but also in terms of climate impact as well."

Smith previously told BBC Scotland that some discourse around the subject was "wild," adding: "You'd think there wasn't a planning system at all. Comparing a really bad data centre in the middle of the Utah desert doesn't track through to what we're going to have in Scotland."

The Scottish government said it was developing a strategic approach to maximising public benefit from data centres located in Scotland. A spokesperson said planning authorities are now required to notify ministers of new data centre applications, with a new planning direction also mandating an Environmental Impact Assessment to be submitted during planning for all new data centres with a power capacity exceeding 50 megawatts.