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No new hyperscale artificial intelligence (AI) data centres are expected to be approved in Scotland for up to a year, after lawmakers backed a pause on planning decisions while new national rules are developed.
Hyperscale data centres are among the largest facilities of their kind, designed to provide vast amounts of computing power and typically requiring tens of megawatts of electricity or more.
The Scottish Parliament on Wednesday said no planning or consenting decisions on hyperscale data centre applications should be made until the government publishes national guidance, which is due within 12 months, according to the motion passed by lawmakers.
The move comes as Scotland sees a surge in proposed data centres linked to the global AI boom. More than 20 large facilities have been proposed, including one project in Fife, in eastern Scotland, that has been described as potentially the second largest in the world.
Data centres provide the computing power needed to train and run AI systems, but they can also consume huge amounts of electricity and water.
That has prompted growing concern over whether Scotland’s energy grid can cope with rapidly rising demand, as well as over the impact of new projects on carbon emissions and nearby communities.
The Scottish government has separately introduced mandatory environmental impact assessments for all new data centres with a power capacity above 50 MW.
Scotland responds to AI infrastructure boom
The decision follows growing pressure from campaigners and local communities calling for clearer rules around the development of large AI data centres.
Hundreds of people protested outside the Scottish Parliament earlier this month, calling for a pause on new projects until the government sets out national planning standards and defines what should count as a “green” data centre.
The vote was a “landmark day” for communities concerned about projects being proposed in their areas, Kat Jones, director of the environmental group Action to Protect Rural Scotland, told the Guardian.
“There’s much still to be done, but this is a huge step forward,” she added.
The pause is not a permanent ban on new data centres. The Scottish government has been asked to report on the development of national planning guidance by the end of 2026 and publish the full guidance within 12 months.
According to the Guardian, Daniel Johnson, economy spokesperson for the Scottish Labour Party, said that the economic potential of the AI boom needed to be considered alongside its impact on the environment, communities and energy demand.
The debate reflects a wider challenge facing governments as technology companies invest heavily in the physical infrastructure needed for AI.
Countries are trying to attract new data centres and AI investment while also managing concerns over electricity demand, water consumption and climate targets.