Wednesday June 3rd 2026
Visualisation of the data centre
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A bid for a controversial new Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centre in the Borders has passed initial planning scrutiny.
Sunlaws Development Company Limited submitted a Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) to Scottish Borders Council seeking confirmation that planned public consultation regarding the Southside Data Centre on land at Clawbare Cottage in Longformacus was sufficient.
Now SBC has confirmed that the initial consultation – at Longformacus Village Hall on Thursday, June 4, with a further session at Westruther Village Hall on Tuesday, June 10 – satisfies the legal requirement.
In his response to the PAN, Scott Shearer, SBC’s principal planning officer, states: “I can confirm that your PAN satisfies the minimum statutory consultation activities that are required.
“We welcome the intention to hold secondary public events and would recommend that these are held later within the 12-week period to allow you time to consider the observations raised in the first round of public consultation.
“A planning application for a major development cannot be submitted less than 12 weeks from the date of receipt of your Pan. In this case, an application cannot be submitted before August 17, 2026.”
The planned development on the Roxburghe Estate comprises of three large two-storey data centre buildings, each with a height up to 24m.
Within each building, half comprises IT floor space and half electrical and mechanical infrastructure.
The prospect of such a huge centre on their doorstep has alarmed the communities of Longformacus, Allenford and the Cranshaws.
A campaign has been launched to block the plans over concerns over the ‘industrialisation’ of the Lammermuir Hills.
But the company behind the proposed development has countered the criticisms by revealing that the proposed Southside Data Centre situated west of Duns, between the villages of Longformacus and Westruther on the Lammermuir Hills, represents a £2 billion investment in the Scottish economy, bringing with it 145 long-term jobs and also bolstering the Borders economy to the tune of £12m a year.
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