Police Warn of Public Opposition to Larbert Datacentre

Police Scotland has warned that a proposed datacentre in Larbert will likely face a "great deal of public opposition," requiring robust security to prevent disruptive incursions. The developer, Apatura, is facing intense resistance, including nearly 7,000 formal objections and a recent protest involving over 100 people.

Local residents and the charity Action to Protect Rural Scotland cite noise and air pollution risks from 200 planned backup diesel generators. These concerns are heightened by the site's proximity to the Fulton Valley Royal hospital and a care home. The project is part of a wider trend of hyperscale datacentre planning that threatens to exceed Scotland's peak power demand.

In response to these developments, the Scottish National Party passed a motion this summer to freeze all new datacentres across Scotland. This political shift may impact the broader artificial intelligence strategy of the United Kingdom.