£13bn Devon data centre plan delayed amid farmland concerns

A proposed £13bn data centre and battery storage scheme on north Devon farmland has been delayed after growing concern over its scale, countryside impact and loss of agricultural land.

Xlinks, the company behind the project, had been due to hold public consultation events in Weare Giffard, Great Torrington, Huntshaw and Bideford in July.

The events have now been postponed, with the company saying it wants more time to speak with local residents and avoid the summer holiday period.

The scheme has raised questions over how much productive farmland should be used for large-scale technology and energy infrastructure, particularly in sensitive rural landscapes.

The proposal has also prompted concern because of its location within the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The site sits between Great Torrington, Weare Giffard and Huntshaw. Xlinks has described the project as a data campus combining artificial intelligence computing, supporting energy infrastructure and community amenities.

The company says the development could create between 650 and 1,200 jobs and be worth up to £3.6bn to the economy.

However, residents and rural representatives have raised concerns over noise, landscape impact, water demand, electricity use and the loss of farmland.

A public meeting has already been held in Great Torrington to discuss opposition to the scheme, with hundreds of people attending.

Xlinks has said the data campus would use just over a third of an 850-acre site, although opponents say the wider scale of the proposal remains a major concern.

They argue the overall site would be larger than the neighbouring town of Great Torrington.

The company said the consultation events were being moved “to later in the year, to allow more time to talk with local residents and to avoid the summer holiday period.”

It added that new dates would be announced “with as much notice as possible”.

In the meantime, Xlinks said it would hold “smaller, informal sessions in the local area to gather feedback and answer questions”.

Separate planning applications for the data centre and battery energy storage site are expected to be submitted at a later date.

Local concerns have centred on whether a development of this scale is appropriate for productive farmland in a sensitive rural landscape, particularly given the site’s location within the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.

The protected area is recognised for its landscape, wildlife, communities and land use, including agriculture.

Local opponents and representatives have warned that food security and the long-term protection of farmland must be considered when major infrastructure projects are brought forward.

The row comes amid growing debate over the pressure being placed on agricultural land by energy, housing, infrastructure and technology developments.

Farming and rural groups have repeatedly warned that farmland is a finite resource, and that food production must be given greater weight in planning decisions.

The proposal is expected to face close scrutiny once formal planning applications are submitted, with farmland loss, landscape impact and infrastructure demand likely to remain key objections.