Wednesday September 2nd 2026
Southside Data Centre
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A statement defining the environmental requirements of a proposed Berwickshire £2 billion AI data centre has been issued by Scottish Borders Council.
Sunlaws Development Company Limited has welcomed SBC’s publication of its Scoping Opinion in response to the project’s environmental assessment scoping submission for the Southside Data Centre in the Lammermuirs.
The council’s response forms part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process to which the project committed from the outset, and preparation of the planning application now remains on schedule, with submission targeted for late 2026 or early 2027.
Specialist studies covering landscape and visual impact, cultural heritage, ecology, water, noise and air quality are being progressed in line with the council’s requests, and their findings will be published in full with the planning application.
SBC’s response also aligns with the increasingly robust national approach to data centre development in Scotland detailed in the Scottish Government’s new national planning direction under which every data centre application exceeding 50 megawatts must now be notified to Scottish Ministers. The Southside project will be subject to that direction.
Further public exhibitions are planned for the autumn, where the updated design will be presented before the application is finalised.
The bid has generated considerable local opposition spearheaded by the ‘Save the Lammermuirs’ campaign group, amid concerns over the “industrialisation” of the landscape.
Jaap Röell, Chief Executive of SDC Ltd, said: “We welcome the council’s response, which gives us a clear framework for completing the environmental assessment work already under way. This is exactly how a project of this significance should be examined thoroughly, publicly and against national policy.
“We are committed to working closely with Scottish Borders Council and the Scottish Government as this important economic opportunity for the Borders, and for Scotland, moves forward and we look forward to presenting our updated proposals to the community in the autumn.”
The proposed 225 MW data centre will be on land owned by Roxburghe Estates in the Lammermuir Hills, designed to draw the majority of its energy directly from neighbouring renewable generation, helping to reduce windfarm curtailment.
The project will use closed-loop cooling system and buildings sunk into the landscape with a living roof and natural screening to preserve the visual integrity of the location.
Conservation and biodiversity enhancements have been part of the philosophy of the site from the outset, and substantial enhancements have been proposed by SDC.
Independent economic analysis estimates the project would support around 145 jobs at peak across the South of Scotland once operational, with up to 1,000 jobs during construction.
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