A planned AI data centre in the South Gyle area of Edinburgh has been rejected.
Edinburgh City Council scrutinised the application and eventually settled on refusing to grant planning permission for the controversial development, citing the various environmental concerns surrounding the application.
Across parties, members refused the plan with concerns on how it could affect the on-going climate emergency and how emissions could be minimised. Not one councillor from any of the attending parties voted in favour of the site.
The centre, planned for a former RBS site on Redheughs Avenue in South Gyle, was reported to potentially use 213 megawatts of power, comparable to the combined energy consumption of all households in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The project had drawn criticism since becoming public in October last year, particularly over the council’s decision not to require an environmental impact assessment (EIA).
Despite the controversy, planning officers had initially recommended approval, saying the site’s urban, brownfield location meant the development would have "a negligible impact on achieving national greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets."
Planning documents stated: "The site is brownfield land, and in an urban environment which is not defined as a sensitive area.
"The sites’ location in Scotland supports use of renewable energy which will help reduce the developments carbon footprint.
"Necessary mitigation can be secured through the planning application process in relation to waste heat, sustainability, noise, light, design, flood risk, landscaping, and ecology, including through the imposition of appropriate planning conditions, as outlined in more detail in the screening opinion."
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However, councillors ultimately ruled in favour of climate concerns and refused the scheme.
Planning documents had described the project as "green" and included plans for active travel infrastructure, landscaping, servicing, and car and cycle parking.
The 5.74-hectare site would have housed multiple data centre buildings facing Redheughs Avenue and South Gyle Crescent.
Dr Kat Jones, Director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland said: "This is an absolutely momentous decision. Congratulations to all the campaigners who have been raising awareness of the huge impacts that data centres have on communities and the environment. The Committee refused this application on the grounds of the impacts that it would have on the climate crisis, the lifecycle greenhouse emissions, and that it does not fit within the local plan for the area.
"Again and again during the discussions, the lack of a definition of a 'green data centre' was raised as an issue, by council planning officials and by councillors. This is a glaring issue that will be faced by every data centre coming through the planning system. We need an immediate moratorium from the Scottish Government to give time for a proper review of their impacts on climate targets, communities, and the grid.
"This decision has shown that Green 'data centres' as a 'National Priority' does not trump concerns on environmental impacts and it does not trump the local development plan. "
