'No decision yet on whether North Devon will become an AI growth zone'
Councils have been clarifying the process for adopting a new local plan, as campaigners fight a proposed new AI data centre
Torridge District Council says no decision has yet been made on whether North Devon could become a Government designated AI Growth Zone.
It's as campaigners fight a proposed 850 hectare site, which would include data towers roughly the same height as Exeter Cathedral.
Company Xlinks says it has sought pre-application planning advice and it is 'usual practice' to make an application to the UK Government for AI data centre developments.
Steve Crowther, the chair of the Devon branch of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: "It is a fundamental change to the basis for how we see Devon.
"Devon is a green lung which is valued by people from right around the country."
Data firm Xlinks, which is behind the plans, say it will create up to 1,200 new jobs and they'll be legally required to improve biodiversity.
What has Torridge District Council said?
A spokesperson said: "Torridge District Council and North Devon Council have agreed to work together on the preparation of a new joint local plan for northern Devon.
"The councils have not yet selected any sites for any type of development and have made no decisions on strategies for places.
"The councils are planning to formally commence plan-making at the end of October and have been carrying out preparatory work to date.
"There will be opportunities for the community and interested parties to have their say on the development of the new Local Plan through consultation in 2027."
What has Xlinks said?
Xlinks said it sought pre-application planning advice from Torridge District Council (TDC), which is normal practice. It added: "We submitted an application for inclusion in the Local Plan, which is normal practice. There are no ongoing discussions between Xlinks and TDC in relation to the Local Plan.
"The proposed site is 850 acres, of which we plan to develop approximately a third. The majority of the land will be either open to the public or used for planting and to support wildlife by creating new habitats.
"Subject to planning consents, the campus will be designed to support the local environment, while bringing economic growth and creating 650 – 1,200 permanent, high-quality jobs."
It added: "We are carrying out nature and wildlife surveys on site. We must legally improve biodiversity by at least 10%, and plan to exceed this by some margin.
"The data campus will be developed sustainably and will be designed to substantially increase biodiversity in line with the goals of the North Devon Biosphere. We will consult relevant stakeholders and follow their advice to ensure the project has a positive impact on local wildlife and nature.
"Buildings will be sited to minimise visibility, through topography, landscaping and the existing treeline."
The firm says it continues to 'undertake comprehensive assessments - including on noise, air quality, water, flooding and fire safety as part of our Environmental Impact Assessment, and any mitigation required will be built into the design and secured through planning conditions'.
The spokesperson added: "There will be community benefit associated with the project worth tens of millions of pounds, to include skills development to best position local people for the high quality jobs the campus will provide.
"The Devon data campus will play a significant role in making sure the UK’s fast-growing growing tech sector has the computing capacity it needs to drive economic growth."
There's more about the proposals here
What has the Devon branch of the CPRE said?
Devon CPRE chairman Steve Crowther said: “Making part of Northern Devon an AI Growth Zone would be a monumental decision. We already know that such a development would be highly likely to be incompatible with our status as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. If North Devon and Torridge Councils are tempted to write this into their new Local Plan, it would make it virtually impossible for even the strongest public pressure to prevent the proliferation of huge data centres across the area.
"The government has so far named five areas as AI Growth Zones, in which companies will receive favourable conditions, including cheaper electricity, to build AI data centres. Teesside, Lanarkshire, the former Ford plant at Bridgend in South Wales, the area of North Wales close to the Wylfa Small Nuclear Reactor site, and Culham in Oxfordshire, alongside the Atomic Energy Authority, are the chosen locations. All are former industrial areas in need of regeneration or have strategic co-location advantages.
"It would be unthinkable to adopt such a radical change to Devon’s planning environment – swapping UN-rated natural sustainability for AI-driven industrialization – without the consent of the people of North Devon and Torridge.”
It has created a Register of Objectors here