A City of Edinburgh Council subcommittee has rejected Shelborn Drummond’s (Shelborn Asset Management) proposed 213 MW green data centre.

The proposed development comprises two data centre buildings (each with a maximum floor space of 65,000 sqm) spanning 14.3 acres of land at 1 Redheughs Avenue, Edinburgh, EH12 9RH. According to councillors, the development would stand just 50m at its closest from residential homes, if built.

Speaking at a subcommittee hearing on February 4, councillor Hal Osler said, “I would agree that we have a breach rather than an infringement of policy despite what was previously agreed because there were considerations given to the previous application that are not present in this one”, adding that the size and impact of the development were significant, including the fact that a district heat network has not yet been set up in the area.

“In summation, I’m going to be proposing that when we go formal, we do reject this application on Place 19 and National Planning Framework (NPF) 1 and 2,” Osler added.

Earlier in the meeting, CEC team manager Paul Devaney said that “there is potential, as part of a multi-stage consent, that an EIA screening could still be required”.

This is because the development is a multi-stage consent (planning permission in principle), which means further consideration of detailed design matters can be made at a subsequent stage (approval of matters specified in conditions).

Moreover, the position contradicts two rulings on July 29 and December 18, last year, where it was determined that no EIA was required because the plans were not considered to have a significant effect on the environment. This was due to it being developed on brownfield land, and having a negligible impact on achieving national greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets, as stated in the Scottish Government’s NPF 4.

Shelborn Drummond’s proposal also includes associated infrastructure including two backup generators, landscaping, servicing, car and cycle parking and the formation of an open public park with sports facilities.

Scottish Power is believed to be providing energy to the site, though it is unclear whether a PPA agreement has been signed.

Equally, a Scottish Water spokesperson said he “has no idea of the size of the site or the water use plans,” and added that the developer would need to submit more information, including a mitigation plan to ensure there would be no detriment to water use to residents in the area. He added that unless Scottish Water approve the water use, the developer will not be granted a connection.

“We simply need to understand what the water demand is,” he said.

CEC planning officer Lewis McWilliam said the developer should ideally submit a sustainability statement, including a detailed waste heat plan to demonstrate how energy could be reused for wider homes in the district heat network. Though he also said the plans have the potential for a community benefit with the development of the large open space and acts sustainably by reusing a brownfield site over greenfield land.

If CEC decides to push ahead with a further EIA, it will follow the same trajectory as the Apatura development in Riccarton, for which the CEC has requested further environmental information in relation to the project, specifically with respect to the appropriate re-use of heat and the management of greenhouse gas emissions.