JOHN Swinney has confirmed that the Scottish Government is "considering planning guidance” for the proposed AI data centres across Scotland.
It comes amid fierce opposition by campaigners and concerns over the number of planning applications across the country.
For example, there are plans for an £8 billion AI investment zone in North Lanarkshire, a £5 billion data centre project near the small village of Auchtertool in Fife, and a £2bn data centre in the Borders.
Critics, however, have warned against the centres’ impact on the environment, including extremely high electricity and water usage.
The Scottish Greens highlighted at First Minister’s Questions (FMQs) last week that if the 24 proposals announces so far are all approved, they'll need up to 6000MW of electricity – which is more than 1.5 times Scotland's current peak demand.
The party has also called for a moratorium on all data centre applications over 50MW until Scotland has a clear national strategy and criteria to judge each individual application against.
Pressed again on the issue by Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay at FMQs this week, the First Minister confirmed that the Scottish Government is “considering” the issue.
“I've been reflecting on the exchanges last week and looked further at this issue, and I'm giving active consideration to whether the Scottish Government should provide planning guidance to balance the rapid expansion of hyperscale data centres with national energy and climate goals, which are vital to our future prosperity,” Swinney told MSPs.
Mackay then asked for a timeline, to which the SNP leader responded: “I appreciate the urgency of this question because there are a number of applications that are now being considered by planning authorities.
“And my view is that with the concerns being expressed by planning authorities, the government has to be responsive to that.”
Swinney added that there is a “careful balance that has to be struck between the extent and specificity of national guidance and the discretion available for local decision making”.
He went on: “Now, if the balance of that is not correct in this issue, then obviously that has to be examined by the government, but I give a commitment to Gillian Mackay that that will be undertaken as a matter of priority by the government and obviously planning authorities will hear what I'm saying in Parliament today and will be able to reflect on my comments.”
Kat Jones from Scottish countryside charity APRS, meanwhile, said: "We have been calling for clarity on Scottish Government policy around 'green data centres' since December so it is encouraging to hear that the First Minister will be doing this as a matter of priority.
"However, there are active planning applications for 'green data centres' in two councils, Falkirk and Fife, and one being appealed for Edinburgh so we need this commitment to be accompanied by an urgent pause on all applications for hyperscale data centres while this is carried out."
