Key Points:
- The central government is reportedly putting pressure on Torridge District Council to back a newly proposed 1.5-gigawatt artificial intelligence data center in North Devon.
- Developed by Xlinks, the Devon Data Campus represents a massive investment between £12.2 billion and £13.8 billion, promising to inject up to £3.6 billion annually into the regional economy.
- Local communities and farmers are actively fighting the 850-acre project due to fears of over 80 decibels of battery noise, high water consumption, and an energy footprint capable of powering 1 million homes.
- The controversy highlights growing friction between the government’s push to classify data centers as critical national infrastructure and local authorities attempting to protect rural heritage and green spaces.
The national drive to expand artificial intelligence capabilities is clashing directly with rural preservation in North Devon. Reports indicate that the central government is placing significant pressure on Torridge District Council to facilitate a massive digital infrastructure project. Known as the Devon Data Campus, this proposed development has ignited a fierce debate in the region. The situation highlights a growing tension between national economic targets and the preservation of local communities and green spaces.
The developer behind the ambitious proposal is Xlinks, a company known for its previous attempt to build a £20 billion subsea power cable from Morocco to the United Kingdom. After the government withdrew its support for that project, the firm pivoted its business model. It is now using the same landing site in Alverdiscott to build a giant 1.5-gigawatt AI data center. Named Valeon, this project would rank as one of the largest data center developments ever proposed in Europe.
According to the company, the campus represents a capital investment ranging from £12.2 billion to £13.8 billion. Xlinks estimates that the facility will contribute between £3.3 billion and £3.6 billion annually to the regional economy. The developer claims the construction phase will support 2,000 to 3,500 jobs, while the finished site will provide 650 to 1,200 permanent operational roles. To support this massive facility, the plans include a co-located 1.8-gigawatt battery energy storage system.
Despite the high economic projections, local residents are organizing rapidly to oppose the project. Hundreds of people recently packed a public meeting in Great Torrington to voice their concerns, and an online petition has gained over 2,250 signatures. The proposed campus will occupy roughly 300 acres of an 850-acre agricultural site. It features five huge buildings standing 40 meters high. Critics argue that these structures, which stand nearly as tall as the towers of Exeter Cathedral, will blight the historic landscape.
The physical size of the buildings is only one aspect of the community’s concern. The data center intends to deliver 1.5 gigawatts of compute capacity. This massive energy draw is enough to power at least 1 million homes. Local farmers and environmental groups, including the Campaign to Protect Rural England, warn that the facility will place a heavy strain on the national grid. They also fear that the immense amount of water needed to cool the server halls will deplete local aquifers and hurt agricultural production.
Residents also worry about the daily environmental impact on their quality of life. The battery energy storage system will generate noise levels of up to 80 decibels. Critics argue that this constant noise will shatter the peace of the quiet rural valley. Furthermore, the local fire service has raised concerns about the fire risks associated with housing high-voltage lithium-ion battery systems in a heavily farmed area.
This local clash occurs as the government aggressively pushes its digital growth agenda. Ministers have designated data centers as critical national infrastructure, placing them on an equal footing with water, energy, and emergency services. This status gives the central government more power to override local planning rejections. Activists argue that national officials are welcoming big tech firms at the expense of local democracy and rural communities.
This situation follows previous government interventions in local planning decisions. In 2024, planning officials overruled a local council in Buckinghamshire to approve a 90-megawatt data center on greenbelt land. While a subsequent legal challenge forced the government to concede that the approval was flawed due to inadequate environmental assessments, the incident showed how far national leaders will go to fast-track digital infrastructure.
The struggle in Devon reflects a broader, global backlash against the resource demands of artificial intelligence. From the United States to Ireland, communities are pushing back against the rapid growth of data centers. In regions like Northern Virginia and Dublin, these facilities have strained power grids, occasionally forcing local authorities to restrict grid connections. Experts warn that the UK could face similar grid issues if it approves massive campuses without a robust strategy to manage their environmental footprints.
With a public consultation scheduled to run from July 14 to August 11, Torridge District Council faces an incredibly tough decision. Xlinks plans to hold public information days in villages like Weare Giffard and Huntshaw to win over the community. However, the reported pressure from central government suggests that local planning officials are under immense scrutiny. The outcome of the Devon Data Campus will likely set a major precedent for how the UK balances technological growth with rural preservation.
