Hundreds gather outside Holyrood to call for pause on Scotland’s datacentre boom
Protesters in Scotland are demanding a moratorium on the construction of new data centers, citing environmental concerns and a lack of clear planning guidance. The Scottish government has acknowledged the need for a strategic approach but has not yet committed to halting the projects.
Why it matters
The rapid expansion of data centers to support digital infrastructure is creating local friction regarding land use, energy consumption, and environmental impact.
Campaigners say moratorium needed while the Scottish government analyses the environmental impact of datacentres. Campaigners say moratorium needed while the Scottish government analyses the environmental impact of datacentres. Datacentres - UK Hundreds gather outside Holyrood to call for pause on Scotland’s datacentre boom Opposition mounts as at least 20 projects proposed, including one in Fife billed as second largest in world
Prefer the Guardian on Google Kat Jones might be the closest thing Scotland has to Erin Brockovich in 2026. Standing in the shadow of Arthur’s seat outside Holyrood, the 52-year-old is revving up the crowd of protesters around her. “Who is here from Lammermuir? Ayrshire? What about Aberdeen?” she calls to the crowd.
On Thursday, hundreds traveled to Edinburgh to call for an immediate moratorium on Scotland’s datacentre boom, which includes one project in Auchtertool, Fife, that has been billed as the second largest in the world.
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