Plans for a £2 billion AI data centre in the Lammermuir Hills have moved a step forward. Scottish Borders Council has issued its scoping opinion for the environmental assessment.
The scheme would involve the following:
- 225 megawatts, on Roxburghe Estates land in Berwickshire, promoted by Sunlaws Development Company;
- a planning application expected in late 2026 or early 2027;
- notification delivered to Scottish ministers because the development would be over 50MW.
The developer claims that the scheme would create 145 permanent jobs and up to 1,000 during construction, but local campaigners, Save the Lammermuirs, are skeptical of these figures and oppose the scheme due to the landscape impact. AI data centres use enormous amounts of electricity and, often, water. A scheme like this would drive demand for more of the pylons and grid infrastructure that Borders communities are already fighting.
Our position: the burden of proof is on the developer. We will judge the scheme on its energy and water use, its impact on the Lammermuirs, the real number of local jobs, and whether its heat and profits benefit Borders communities. It should receive no public subsidy and should not be “nodded through” on a headline figure.
