Plans for a large data centre development by Xlinks in rural Devon have prompted significant opposition from local farmers, environmental campaigners, and politicians concerned about the impact on water resources, agriculture, and the local landscape.

The proposed site, described as covering an area equivalent to 500 football pitches with buildings as tall as Exeter Cathedral, would accommodate one of Europe’s largest AI data centres and a sizable battery energy storage facility. Opponents argue that the project’s scale is disproportionate to the rural setting and would strain local infrastructure and natural resources. Farmers in the region have reported existing water scarcity issues, citing lowered water tables and reduced productivity in livestock and crops. One local campaigner highlighted the risk of damaging prime agricultural land and underscored the need for government assessment frameworks that consider impacts on food security and farming communities.

Xlinks has responded by stating the data centre would use rainwater for cooling, rather than drawing from the nearby River Torridge, and has emphasized the potential economic benefits the project could bring to Devon. Details on precise plans remain limited, which has further fueled concern among critics.

Prominent voices in the opposition include Roger Mortlock, chief executive of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, who warned that the environmental damage from such extensive data centres is not adequately evaluated by government authorities, which often approve these developments without sufficient scrutiny of their wider effects. Similarly, Sir Geoffrey Cox, Member of Parliament for Torridge and Tavistock, called the project “vastly out of scale with the local landscape and infrastructure” and highlighted the cumulative burden on rural areas, especially as large areas of agricultural land have already been converted for solar parks despite grid capacity challenges.

The controversy follows a broader national debate over data centre expansion in the UK, where demand for energy-intensive facilities is rising amid efforts to support artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure. Last April, campaign groups Foxglove and Global Action Plan secured a legal victory that halted a £1 billion data centre proposal near the M25 in Buckinghamshire. The court ruled that prior approvals had been granted without proper environmental impact assessment, particularly regarding energy use and carbon emissions. This case established a precedent requiring developers to prove that new data centres will not increase the UK’s overall climate emissions or exacerbate regional water shortages and that they must include commitments to renewable energy generation and grid connections.

Energy regulator Ofgem has reported that 315 data centre projects are currently seeking access to the National Grid, collectively demanding 73 gigawatts—substantially exceeding the country’s peak energy consumption of around 45 gigawatts. This imbalance raises concerns about the sustainability and broader impact of rapid data centre growth.

Supporters of expanding data centres in the UK argue such investments are vital for technological progress and economic competitiveness, especially in AI development. However, critics maintain that the sector’s expansion should not come at the expense of environmental health, local communities, and national resources. The debate underscores the challenge faced by policymakers balancing technological advancement with sustainable development and rural preservation.