Thursday July 30th 2026
AI data campaigners
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A campaign group battling plans for an AI data centre on their doorstep has posted out 15,000 fact-filled leaflets to their near neighbours.
Sunlaws Development Company Limited want to build the Southside Data Centre on land at Clawbare Cottage in Longformacus on the Lammermuir Hills.
The developer says the data centre represents a £2 billion investment in the Scottish economy, bringing with it 145 long-term jobs and also bolstering the Borders economy to the tune of £12m a year.
But objectors highlight the long time implications over the loss of greenfield land and “industrialisation” of the landscape.
The planned development on the Roxburghe Estate comprises of three large two-storey data centre buildings, each with a height up to 24m
This week the Save the Lammermuirs – Stop the Data Centre campaign delivered 15K leaflets direct to households via Royal Mail.
The leaflets aim to alert people living within a 15-mile radius of the proposed data centre.
The campaign group’s concerns also centre on the impact on wildlife and habitats, energy and water usage, potential downstream river contamination and lack of meaningful local benefit.
Kathleen White, a member of the campaign, said: “We know from personal contact with people across the area, and from our recent leafleting exercise in Duns, that nearly 50 per cent of folk don’t know that this hyper scale development is coming down the track.
“Many don’t know what an AI data centre is. We want to wake people up to what is happening on their doorstep.
“Roxburghe Estates has opted not to publicise their plans widely beyond the communities of Longformacus and Westruther, but we feel that people across the region are entitled to know about such a truly massive development.”
A group of hillwalkers has helped the campaign to highlight the potential impact of the data centre on walkers, runners and visitors who enjoy the Southern Upland Way (SUW).
This long-established trail connects Portpatrick on the west coast with Cockburnspath on the Berwickshire coast.
The hillwalkers took the campaign banner up on to Twin Law for a photo shoot in front of the iconic Twin Cairns.
The data centre will be clearly visible from the eastern slopes of this well-known viewpoint on the SUW.
Amanda Mitchell, one of the walkers, said “It’s always fantastic coming down off Twin Law and seeing the Watch reservoir, the Dirringtons and all of this beautiful landscape laid out in front of you.
“I just can’t imagine what it will look like if the data centre goes ahead. And the impact on wildlife and nature is equally important.”
In the meantime, the campaign’s online petition has now topped 21K signatures.
Support has not just come from the local community, with a message – and a warning – from North America.
One signatory, Merrin, said: “I live in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where data centre deals in the city were done under the table, then announced as ‘proposed’ when the wheels are already in motion.
“The mere suggestion to erect a similar centre on rural land is even more unconscionable; honestly, I am shocked that Scotland would even consider it.
“It’s a race to the bottom, folks, and I imagined, naïvely, that it was North America who contained the stupidity and that Europe had more sense, and conscience.
“I guess greed knows no borders. This proposal is short-sighted, and heartbreaking.”
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