Scottish Parliament Votes to Pause New Large-Scale Datacentre Approvals
MSPs backed a Scottish Labour motion to halt planning decisions on hyperscale AI datacentres for up to 12 months while a national strategy and stricter environmental checks are developed.
The Scottish Parliament has voted to pause planning applications for new large-scale AI datacentres for up to a year, according to the Guardian.
On Wednesday, MSPs backed a motion put forward by Scottish Labour to halt approval of new hyperscale datacentre schemes while the Scottish government develops a national strategy for the sector, the report said.
Under the motion, decisions on new applications would be delayed until rules covering hyperscale datacentres are put in place, and stricter environmental impact assessments would be introduced for such projects, according to the source.
The Guardian described the vote as a potential setback for the UK government's broader artificial intelligence strategy, which has sought to encourage investment in datacentre infrastructure to support the growth of AI technologies.
The moratorium is intended to give the Scottish government time to establish a framework governing where and how large-scale datacentres can be built, taking into account environmental concerns, before further large facilities are approved, the report indicated.
Details on the precise scope of the pause, how long it may last within the up-to-12-month window, and reaction from industry or the UK government were not fully specified in the available source material.
Sources
- Scotland votes for moratorium on new large-scale datacentres for up to a year — The Guardian — World
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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