Marissa Macwhirter

Scotland faces a surge of large-scale data centre proposals despite lacking a clear national framework or definition of what qualifies as a green facility. Local councils and community groups are calling for a moratorium after several applications were allowed to bypass environmental impact assessments. Concerns include massive electricity and water demands, risks to climate targets, and higher household energy costs, with Ireland cited as a warning example. Industry groups oppose a pause and project large economic gains, though without Scotland-specific data. The article argues that the Scottish Government should impose a temporary halt using existing legal mechanisms to establish proper standards before approving further developments.