‘Devon is not an AI growth zone’: Hundreds gather to oppose 850 acre North Devon data centre

Hundreds of people gathered outside a Torridge District Council meeting last night to oppose plans by developers to build an 850-acre “hyperscale” data centre in the North Devon countryside.

Members of the community attended the demonstration, organised by the Great Torrington Data Centre Action Group, on Monday, October 26. They held banners and signs and recited chants of “say no” and “save our green land” as councillors made their way into the District Council’s full council meeting.

Developer Xlinks wants to build a “large-scale” data campus on a greenfield site near Torrington, North Devon. Under its plans, the £13 billion campus would be home to an “AI-optimised” data centre and an on-site battery energy storage facility.

At a proposed 850 acres and with buildings of around 40 metres high, the same height as Exeter Cathedral, it’s understood the site would be among the largest of its kind in Europe.

Xlinks has yet to submit a formal planning application to the council.

Following the demonstration, four members of the action group, including a nine-year-old girl, addressed council members at the full council meeting.

Matt Whittaker, vice-chair of the Devon Data Centre and BESS Action Group, delivered his statement whilst playing, through a speaker, the expected noise the data centre would emit.

“This noise is from a small speaker at 70 decibels. The BESS [battery energy storage system] unit, however, is a massive metal container resonating that noise,” he said.

“That relentless noise will carry out over many miles into your bedroom at night, every day. Good Friday, Christmas morning, every single moment of every single day.

“Noise is just one very small part of the Xlinks data centre, BESS, and cable project.

“A few of you, at our council, wrote a support in principle to Xlinks for this gargantuan project. Xlinks then took that written support in principle to the UK Government to get Devon to be an AI growth zone.

“It is clear the majority of you had no idea what a few of this council had done. You were not consulted.

“We, the public, now ask the members of the council that did not want a support in principle for the Xlinks proposal to request it is rescinded under the full extent of the proposal is analysed and completely understood.”

Mr Whitaker added: “The Xlinks data centre and supporting BESS does not need to go on farmland at all.

“Devon is not an AI growth zone.”

Nine-year-old Demelza, who lives near the proposed site of the development, told councillors she was “worried and anxious” about her future.

“I’ve been at nearly every protest outside the council office holding up signs that say ‘no data centre will save our future’,” she said in a speech delivered at Monday’s council meeting.

“I’m very worried and anxious about the proposal because it’s going to take away a huge area of land and change our homes forever.

“I want my future to look green and beautiful. I want to be able to see dark sky and all the stars. I want there to be only birds humming and singing and trees rustling.

“You think it’s going to bring opportunities to the area. Opportunities for what? The only people that will benefit are Xlinks.

“When I’m older I want to be a farmer and maybe carry on my family’s business. There are lots of opportunities here, you just need to support local people and small businesses rather than an industry of tech billionaires.

“It’s your job to fight for our local people, to fight for our homes, community, and landscape. I want to make sure you do everything you can to protect our future and ensure this proposal does not go ahead.

“The decision you’ll be making will affect me and all the other children in this area for the rest of our lives. No children want this - or adults. I really want this to stop, and so does my mum and loads of other people.

“Please don’t choose for it to go ahead.”

No response to the public contributions was provided by councillors on Monday; however, the council has said written answers would be provided.

Demelza’s speech was met with applause from councillors.

Xlinks has said the North Devon development would contribute up to £3.6 billion to the local economy each year, and would create between 650 and 1200 permanent jobs.

This claim has been disputed by members of the Devon Data Centre and BESS Action Group, including by the chairman of its scientific subcommittee, who attended the demonstration.

“We’ve looked into the employment opportunities in data centres as they have actually transpired rather than as they have been promised, and there’s at least a three-fold difference between what’s been promised and what is actually delivered,” he said.

“Really this is all about the future for our children and our children’s children. If we allow these developments to take place, we’re selling out for generations, and our children and our grandchildren will not thank us for it.”

Xlinks has said it plans to hold public information days later this year, however, no dates have been announced. In the meantime, the developer says it encourages residents to share their views here.