The Scottish government’s new planning direction requires that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be submitted for all new data centres that expect to exceed 50MW.
The update follows a new direction published in August, which requires that planning authorities notify Scottish ministers of new data centre applications within seven days of validation.
On the new direction, Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad said: “The Scottish Government recognises that data centres are a rapidly evolving sector attracting a broad range of views, opinions and concerns, and that evidence on the environmental impact of data centres continues to develop.”
“As this is an emerging industry, we have the opportunity to get this right from the start. The guidance issued today is the next step in that process.”
Enforcing an EIA requirement will enable both planners and government officials to assess any probable significant environmental effects caused by the development. The news comes as concerns about the environmental impact of data centres continue to mount, in tandem with their increase in numbers.
In the direction’s accompanying letter, chief planner and director Dr Fiona Simpson acknowledged that upscaling AI increases national considerations for energy, water, and hardware usage.
Simpson said emissions from data centres arise from construction, operation, and any fossil fuel usage, while simultaneously adding an industrial presence to the Scottish landscape. The EIA will take potential emissions and landscape concerns into account, as the Planners seek to promote the design of green data centres.
Goodlad added: “We must balance the economic and employment interests in developing data centres with national energy, climate and community wealth building ambitions, which are vital to our future prosperity, as well as the potential impact on local communities.”
“Ensuring that an Environmental Impact Assessment is always part of the application process will create a level playing field for developers and will ensure potentially significant environmental effects are considered from the outset.”
If a planning application does not meet the 50MW point, and is not in the new direction’s scope, it will still be considered under the established EIA regulations. The requirement for EIA will be decided on a case-by-case basis – in accordance with existing legislation.
The Scottish Science Advisory Council (SSAC) advised on the new direction, providing independent advice and recommendations to Scottish Ministers and the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) for Scotland.
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