Edinburgh could green-light one of Britain’s largest data centers this week as councillors prepare to rule on a 213MW scheme that would turn the old Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters into a powerhouse for the AI age.
The decision due Wednesday has sparked fierce debate over jobs, energy demands, and whether Scotland can truly claim the “green data center” crown developers are promising.
What Shelborn Is Actually Proposing
Shelborn Asset Management wants to build two huge data center buildings on the 18.5-acre site at 1 Redheughs Avenue in Edinburgh Park.
The campus would deliver up to 213MW of IT load, enough to rank among the biggest single sites in the UK.
The developer stresses 100 percent renewable electricity, a new public park, and extensive landscaping to soften the visual impact.
Construction jobs could hit 1,200 at peak, with around 150-200 permanent highly skilled roles once operational.
Shelborn originally planned offices and housing here after buying the site in 2021. Sky-high data center demand forced the pivot.
Why the Council Is Recommending Approval
Planning officers have told elected members to back the project.
Key line from the report: the scheme “accords with the development plan” and offers significant economic benefits.
Crucially, officers decided no full Environmental Impact Assessment is needed.
They argue the site is brownfield land in an urban business park, not a sensitive natural area, and Scotland’s renewable-heavy grid keeps the carbon footprint low.
That decision infuriated campaigners.
Action to Protect Rural Scotland called it “gobsmacking,” warning the power draw could equal tens of thousands of homes at a time when grids are already strained.
Power Reality Check
213MW is massive by Scottish standards.
For context:
- The whole of Edinburgh currently hosts only nine data centers totalling far less capacity.
- Scotland’s largest existing facility is around 30-40MW.
Developers insist direct grid connections and renewable contracts will avoid extra strain on local networks.
Critics point out that even “100 percent renewable” claims often rely on certificates rather than new wind or hydro actually being built for the project.
National Grid ESO has already warned that data center growth is the biggest single driver of rising UK electricity demand through 2035.
Scotland’s Sudden Data Center Gold Rush
The Edinburgh proposal is just one piece of a much bigger push.
Last week North Lanarkshire Council unveiled plans for a 500MW “AI Growth Zone” near Glasgow.
Ministers are openly courting hyperscalers with cheap green power and cool climate promises.
Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have all taken options on land or power across central Scotland in the past 18 months.
Industry sources say the country could add 2-3GW of new data center capacity by 2032 if grid connections keep pace.
That would transform Scotland from a data center backwater into a genuine European player.
Whether local communities and the grid can handle that surge remains the billion-dollar question.
The old RBS office block at Drummond House stood empty for years after staff moved to Gogarburn. Concrete was crushed on site in 2022.
Now the cleared plot could host the servers that power tomorrow’s AI tools, cloud services, and digital economy.
Councillors hold that future in their hands this Wednesday.
Whatever they decide will send a loud signal: is Scotland serious about becoming a green data center superpower, or will energy and environmental worries slam the brakes?
