The Scottish government has introduced new guidance requiring mandatory Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for all future hyperscale data centre applications, a move officials describe as a significant step toward addressing the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure. However, the policy shift has been met with immediate criticism from the Scottish Greens, who argue that the measures are insufficient to mitigate the profound energy and environmental risks posed by the industry.
The announcement follows a surge in planning applications for massive data processing facilities across Scotland. While proponents highlight the role of data centres in supporting the digital economy, critics emphasize the immense energy demands associated with the sector. Current projections indicate that if the initial 24 proposed sites were granted approval, their combined energy consumption would reach 1.5 times the total peak electricity demand of all of Scotland.
Patrick Harvie, MSP for the Scottish Greens, welcomed the requirement for Environmental Impact Assessments as a necessary, if modest, advancement. However, he maintained that the guidance functions only as the “bare minimum” of regulatory oversight and fails to address the underlying challenges of rapid, uncoordinated development.
“The requirement for Environmental Impact Assessments is a baby-step forward that has only been secured because of this Green debate,” Harvie said. “But it’s the bare minimum of what is needed and doesn’t justify opening up our country to a big tech free-for-all.”
The central point of contention remains the lack of a comprehensive national strategy. Currently, local councils are being tasked with evaluating complex, large-scale planning applications without clear national policy frameworks to guide them. The Scottish Greens continue to advocate for a formal moratorium on the construction of new hyperscale sites until such a national strategy is fully developed and implemented. This position is reportedly shared by members of the SNP’s own National Council and several SNP MSPs, who have expressed concerns that local authorities are currently making decisions in the dark regarding the cumulative environmental impact of these facilities.
The intensity of local opposition highlights the potential friction between industrial development and regional environmental commitments. Community groups across the country have raised concerns about the impact of data centres on local biodiversity, water usage, and the integrity of the national grid. Critics argue that without a pause in development, the influx of these power-hungry facilities could jeopardize Scotland’s transition to net-zero, potentially diverting renewable energy away from domestic and essential industrial decarbonization efforts.
As the debate continues, the pressure on the Scottish government to go beyond mere assessment procedures and toward active oversight is mounting. For the Scottish Greens, the goal is clear: ensure that the development of digital infrastructure is consistent with national climate goals and that the decision-making process is transparent and evidence-based.
“Every SNP MSP should be asking themselves how on earth they can justify voting against the moratorium that their own party’s national council and so many of their members have called for,” Harvie added.
The government’s new guidance will be scrutinized in the coming months as pending applications move through the planning pipeline. Whether this modest policy tweak will satisfy stakeholders or lead to further calls for a total freeze remains a pivotal question in the Scottish political landscape. For now, the future of Scotland’s digital landscape hangs in a delicate balance between the demands of the tech sector and the urgent necessity of ecological preservation.
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