Huge AI data campus plan raises rural land concerns in Devon

Plans for a major AI data campus on an 850-acre site in north Devon have raised concerns over the growing pressure on rural land, food production and the countryside from large-scale infrastructure projects.

Xlinks, the company behind the proposed Morocco-UK renewable energy cable project, wants to develop the Devon Data Campus near Great Torrington, between Weare Giffard and Huntshaw.

The proposal would include a large data centre campus and a separate battery storage site, with the company saying the scheme could create between 650 and 1,200 jobs and contribute up to £3.6 billion to the economy.

However, residents have raised concerns about the potential impact on the countryside, including noise, light pollution, wildlife, water demand, energy use and the visual impact on the local landscape.

The plans are also likely to feed into wider concerns about the loss of rural land at a time when farmers are being urged to strengthen domestic food production and improve the UK’s food security.

The proposals were first reported by the BBC, which said news of the scheme emerged after Conservative MP Sir Geoffrey Cox announced a public meeting at Great Torrington Town Hall.

Hundreds of people attended the meeting, underlining the level of local interest and concern surrounding the development.

Xlinks said the data campus would occupy just over a third of the wider 850-acre site. Separate planning applications are expected for the data centre and battery storage site, although neither has yet been submitted.

The company says the site has been chosen because of its mild year-round temperatures, access to solar and wind power, spare capacity at Alverdiscott substation and the potential to screen the development from view.

Data centres are used to house the computing infrastructure behind digital services, including the AI systems increasingly used by businesses, public services and consumers.

But the scale of such developments has prompted wider questions over where they should be located, particularly where rural communities fear the loss of countryside, pressure on local resources and reduced availability of land for farming.

Speaking to the BBC, Torrington resident Diana Percy said: “We understand AI exists but this is just the wrong place - it should go on a brownfield site.”

The government has previously described data centres as critical to economic activity and public services, with the sector designated as critical national infrastructure in 2024.

Supporters of data centre development argue that new digital infrastructure is needed to support economic growth, AI, cloud computing and public services.

However, the Devon proposal is likely to add to debate over whether major technology and energy infrastructure should be directed towards brownfield locations before rural sites are considered.

James Humfrey, chief executive of Xlinks, said the company recognised that a development of this scale would raise questions.

“We know a project of this scale will raise questions and we'd expect nothing less from a community that cares about where they live,” he told the BBC.

Xlinks is due to hold public information events in Weare Giffard on 14 July, Great Torrington on 15 July, Huntshaw on 16 July and Bideford on 17 July.

The company said the sessions would allow residents to view the proposals, speak to the project team and provide feedback before the scheme is taken forward.

The plans come as rural communities across the UK face increasing pressure from energy, infrastructure and technology developments, with land use becoming a growing point of tension between economic growth, food production, nature and countryside protection.