An MSP has said the Scottish Government’s decision that plans for AI data centre in Edinburgh need an Environmental Impact Assessment should also be applied to a controversial planning bid in Auchtertool.

Thousands of objections and comments have been registered over ILI Cato’s massive campus earmarked for land to the north-west of the village.

Fife Council’s decision not to ask for an EIA sparked a huge backlash, and now Mark Ruskell, Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, says the local authority must follow the stance of the Scottish Government.

It has decided that a separate hyperscale data centre in Edinburgh’s South Gyle requires a full EIA assessment.

Campaigners from the Auchtertool Action group protesting outside the village hall.

placeholder image — Campaigners from the Auchtertool Action group protesting outside the village hall.

The Scottish Government is currently assessing the Auchtertool plans after a screening direction request was submitted.

Mr Ruskell also wants all hyperscale data centre plans put on hold until a national strategy is put in place.

He said: “The decision made to mandate an Environmental Impact Assessment for the AI data centre in South Gyle must become a precedent rather than an outlier.

“Hyperscale data centres like the one proposed for Auchtertool can have a devastating impact on the climate, local communities and nature so it's simply mind boggling for an Environmental Impact Assessment not to be the norm in these planning cases.

“The screening direction request for Auchtertool has been sat with the Scottish Government for weeks now – but surely the writing is on the wall.

“Thousands of people in Auchtertool stood up to the developers and objected to the proposed hyperscale AI data centre on their doorstep. But communities shouldn’t be left fighting tech giants on their own.” Last week saw peaceful protests outside Auchtertool Village Hall as ILI Cato held appointment-only visits for locals to hear more about its contentious plans.