This article appears as part of the Winds of Change newsletter.

So often what’s going on with hyperscale data centres and communities feels like ofsfshore wind all over again. During this past week I’ve dropped in on three different community campaigns, one objecting to a wind farm, another a new electricity substation, and a third - visited for our The Future of AI and Data Centres series- a proposed hyperscale data centre site in the wilds of the Lammermuirs.

There was a persistent sense of déjà vu. The same topics raised in rural locations, rich in nature. Noise, vibration, the grid, visual impact, effect on wildlife, fears over house prices, scepticism over promised jobs.

The hyperscale data centre rush is coming on fast - which makes it all the more welcome that the Scottish Government is putting a pause on planning decisions till Christmas, when new guidance is set to be produced.

I was pleased to hear in an interview with the Scottish Minister for Public Finance, Hannah Mary Goodlad, this week that community wealth and benefit are to be looked at.

What’s clear is that any data centre policy needs to look at what the deal is for communities – in terms of jobs, community benefit, business rates and other positives. We don’t want to look back in ten years’ time and think that what happened with AI and data centres was the same as wind all over again, or even worse in terms of what it gives back.

As yet there is no guidance on community benefits for data centre developments. Last week, in interview, Jaap........

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