Edinburgh MP Scott Arthur urges speedy guidance on data centres and says community voice is vital
‘It is vital that communities have meaningful opportunities to express their views’ - Scott Arthur MP
Edinburgh MP Scott Arthur is urging the Scottish Government to act quickly on guidance to councils over controversial hyperscale data centres and has stressed that community engagement about such proposed developments is vital.
In a letter to First Minister John Swinney he also floated the idea that communities should be allowed to appeal against decisions to approve data centres in their area.
His call comes as the government is said to be considering a temporary ban on new data centres amid concerns about the huge amounts of water and energy they use and their impact on local areas.
Dr Arthur, Labour MP for Edinburgh South West - where a data centre has been proposed at Wester Hermiston, close to Heriot-Watt University, urged the First Minister to provide clarity on the planning process and environmental requirements for data centres.
Mr Swinney recently said he would consider if it was “appropriate” for councils to decide on proposed new hyperscale data centres, given the size of the developments.
In his letter, Dr Arthur said: "Residents are concerned by suggestions that the Scottish Government is considering whether local authorities should continue to be the primary decision-makers for data centre applications.
"While I recognise the national significance of digital infrastructure to the Scottish economy, I would be concerned by any approach that bypasses local democratic decision-making and further distances residents from decisions that directly affect their communities.
"As more data centres are proposed across Scotland, these issues are likely to arise repeatedly. It is therefore vital that communities have meaningful opportunities to express their views and that planning decisions are made transparently, within a clear national framework.
“In the Republic of Ireland, members of the public have the right to lodge third-party appeals against planning decisions. Grounds for appeal include inadequate environmental assessment, ecological and flooding concerns, and conflicts with local development plans, all issues that may be highly relevant to data centre developments.”
Dr Arthur suggested that community councils or other constituted community body could be given the right to appeal, rather than individuals, to demonstrate broader support.
A report in The National newspaper said the SNP’s national council had voted for a moratorium on data centre projects and the party was now set to join the Scottish Greens in pressing for the move. Edinburgh council last month backed a Green call for a moratorium.
In a blog, Dr Arthur said data centres - which underpin digital services like online banking, cloud storage and AI - were “here to stay”.
He continued: “The real questions are not whether data centres should exist, but where they should be located, how many are genuinely needed, whether the current wave of proposals is driven by real demand or speculation, and how they can be designed in the most sustainable way possible.
“My view is that the Scottish Government is long overdue in providing clearer guidance to local authorities. However, I am equally clear that planning decisions should remain rooted in local democracy. I would be very reluctant to see a situation where decisions of this scale are routinely removed from local communities and imposed by central government.”
On the proposed Wester Hermiston data centre, Dr Arthur said: “As far as I am aware, there is not currently a confirmed end-user for the site. That naturally raises questions about the business case and the long-term purpose of the development.”
He said local residents had raised a number of legitimate concerns, but the council had not required an Environmental Impact Assessment for the project.
He continued: “When I last met representatives associated with the project, they appeared to recognise the level of public concern. My understanding was that they were willing to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment, whether voluntarily or if required to do so through the planning process. I hope that happens.”