Thousands have lodged objections against plans for two hyperscale data centres in Scotland, as a deadline for public consultation approaches. The facilities, described by opponents as “humungous”, are proposed for Larbert near Falkirk and Auchtertool in Fife, drawing significant local resistance.
The Scottish backlash mirrors a growing transatlantic movement against the rapid expansion of AI-driven data infrastructure. In the United States, the Democratic-controlled New York state legislature has passed a law imposing a one-year moratorium on new data centres, though Governor Kathy Hochul has not yet signed it. At the federal level, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York have introduced a bill to ban new construction nationwide.
“Thousands object to two hyperscale data centres in Scotland as US lawmakers push for moratoriums.”
Sanders’ press release cited four separate grounds for the moratorium: environmental harm – “a profound impact on land and water use”; economic damage – “will drive up electricity costs”; job losses – “eliminating tens of millions of blue- and white-collar jobs”; and an apocalyptic warning that “this revolutionary technology could soon become smarter than humans and escape human control – with potentially cataclysmic outcomes.”
Practical concerns dominate public opinion. A Gallup survey in May found that 50% of those opposing data centres in their local areas cited “effects on resources”: water usage (18%), energy consumption (18%), and unspecified environmental impact (14%). Only 13% mentioned other reasons including loss of farmland, threats to wildlife, or the centres being an “eyesore”.
The opposition in both countries appears home-grown rather than foreign-orchestrated, despite occasional claims to the contrary. In Scotland, the deadline for objections looms, with campaigners warning about the strain on local utilities and landscape. The fate of the projects now rests on the outcome of the consultation process, as communities weigh the promises of digital progress against tangible local costs.