Thousands march in Edinburgh against AI data centres

Thousands of people marched through Edinburgh to protest against large-scale AI data centres, as Scotland prepares new planning guidance and a strategy intended to secure public benefits from the developments.

The demonstrators gathered at the top of the Royal Mile and marched towards the Scottish Parliament. Some opposed proposed projects in particular communities, including Cockenzie in East Lothian and Larbert in Falkirk. The protest is part of a wider wave of demonstrations across Europe, amid debate over data centres’ environmental effects.

Campaigners raised concerns about energy use, noise, pollution and the impact of construction. Kim Cairns, from the Say No To Chapelcross AI Data Centre campaign, said residents were worried about noise, road closures and access during construction, as well as noise once a facility was operating.

A proposed data centre at Chapelcross in Dumfries and Galloway could have a capacity of 1,000 megawatts if it goes ahead. The BBC reported that Scotland’s largest existing data centre, in Airdrie, has capacity for 12 megawatts.

Friends of the Earth campaigner Kim Pratt said the scale of proposed developments could have national effects, including on energy demand and climate targets. The Scottish Greens and campaign groups have called for a moratorium on large data centres, arguing they could put climate goals and renewable energy supplies under pressure.

Innovation Minister Alyn Smith has defended the Scottish context, saying comparisons with poorly planned data centres elsewhere do not necessarily apply. He has also described some of the debate as “wild”.

The Scottish government says it will publish new planning guidance before the end of the year and is developing a strategy to maximise the “public benefit” of data centres. It says planning authorities must notify ministers of new applications, and that new centres with power capacity above 50 megawatts must submit an Environmental Impact Assessment during the planning process.