THE Scottish Greens have reacted angrily after MSPs failed to back their bid for a moratorium on AI data centres, accusing the SNP, Labour and LibDems of "blocking" their motion.
MSPs instead backed a Labour amendment calling for a temporary pause to AI data centre developments, pending the Scottish Government developing new national planning guidance on the projects by the end of the year, and publishing it in full within 12 months.
Currently, at least 24 sites across Scotland have been identified as places for potential AI data centre development.
The Greens had been hoping for a straight-forward pause on all applications over 50MW while a national strategy is put together.
Scottish Green MSP Patrick Harvie said: “It is bitterly disappointing that the SNP, Labour and Lib Dems have voted to block Green proposals for a clear and unambiguous halt on hyperscale data centres. I know that even many SNP members and supporters will be asking what the Government is thinking of.
“This debate was a chance for MSPs to reassure local communities, and to put the national interest ahead of the interests of big business, but they have done the opposite. Instead they have chosen to muddy the waters and thrown up more questions than answers.
“Without a robust national strategy and guidance in place, our councils are being asked to make decisions in isolation.
“They are being expected to assess individual applications while the combined impact of dozens of hyperscale developments is effectively left out of the picture.
“The Greens will continue to press for proper national planning to put limits on this industry, and for communities to have a meaningful say over developments that could transform their local areas and place enormous demands on Scotland’s energy system.”
However, campaigners welcomed the Scottish Parliament vote with Dr Kat Jones, director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland, calling it a "landmark day".
Following the vote, she said: "There's much still to be done but this is a huge step forward and we can all at least take a breath now.
"The Scottish Greens have been working tirelessly to see a pause in planning decisions until there is a proper national strategy in place, and Scottish Labour have played a huge role today in getting this over the line.
"It's great that Scottish ministers and the Parliament as a whole have now endorsed text that says no decisions on planning or consenting should be made until that guidance and strategy is complete. That means Scottish Government must now urgently call in those applications which are approaching a decision date. The communities will expect nothing less.
"We will keep working with the communities, and with MSPs across the parties, to make sure ministers do the best possible job and remove this terrible cloud of uncertainty that has been hanging over dozens of communities across Scotland."
Speaking for the Scottish Government during the debate, Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad was clear that she and her colleagues did not back a moratorium.
“That is not necessary, it is not appropriate. It would send the wrong message to anyone looking to invest in Scotland," she told the Chamber.
Instead, she promised MSPs that guidance for planning authorities to apply when considering applications would be in place within three months.
“We are committed to coming back before Christmas with guidelines that will give business but also communities confidence in this,” she said.
Goodlad said it is “highly unlikely” decisions on any planned data centres would be made by local councils before the guidance is produced.
