Scottish police expect ‘great deal of public opposition’ to planned Larbert datacentre
Planning consultation told ‘robust security measures’ will be needed amid growing resistance to such developments Scottish police have warned that a proposed datacentre will require “robust security measures” to prevent “incursion” amid growing public resistance to such developments in Scotland. “A great deal of public opposition is likely” to a datacentre planned in Larbert , about 30 miles west…
Police Scotland have warned of potential public opposition to a proposed datacentre near Larbert, Scotland, located approximately 30 miles west of Edinburgh. The force issued a letter during a planning consultation, urging developers to engage in discussions to prevent "unplanned incursions for the purposes of disruption." This appears to be the first official acknowledgment of growing public unease regarding datacentre development in the UK.
Scotland currently has at least 23 "hyperscale" datacentre developments in the planning stages, with combined power usage exceeding one and a half times the peak demand. Local residents have organized protests against the datacentre plans, with over 100 attendees at a rally in Larbert and nearly 7,000 people submitting objections.
One particular concern is the installation of 200 diesel generators as backup power, which could release substantial nitrous oxide, potentially harming nearby residents' health. The care home for terminally ill patients located 50 meters away from the site and the 860-bed Forth Valley Royal hospital, situated 400 meters away, could be significantly affected by pollution and noise generated by the datacentre.
Hazel McQueen, a local resident, expressed her worries about the health of her family and her grandson with leukemia, emphasizing her fight against the project. Professor Cecilia Rikap from University College London highlighted the symbolic significance of datacentre development, stating that it represents the physical manifestation of AI, which is causing growing opposition worldwide.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Technology's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
