Home / Environment / £2bn Data Centre Plan Sparks Rural Outcry
£2bn Data Centre Plan Sparks Rural Outcry
2 Jun
Summary
- A £2bn data centre proposal in the Borders faces strong local opposition.
- Developers claim the project will create 145 jobs and use renewable energy.
- Opponents fear the data centre will harm the natural beauty of the landscape.
A significant £2bn data centre investment proposed for a rural site in the Scottish Borders has ignited fierce opposition from local residents. The Sunlaws Development Company (SDC) stated that its Southside project, located west of Duns, could generate 145 permanent high-quality jobs and up to 1,000 construction jobs.
The company highlighted that the development would primarily be powered by nearby wind farms and would not strain local water supplies due to the area's naturally cool climate. SDC also outlined plans for three two-storey buildings with green roofs designed to blend into the moorland landscape.
However, a campaign group, Save the Lammermuirs - Stop the Data Centre, has launched a formal opposition, calling the proposal "the wrong development in the wrong place." Members gathered on the site to protest, fearing the data centre's scale and electricity consumption will damage the natural environment.
SDC is hosting public consultation sessions at Longformacus village hall on Thursday and Westruther village hall on June 10th. These events aim to inform the public and gather feedback before a full planning application is submitted.
