There are two things often muddled together here: how much water a data centre uses, and how much energy a data centre uses for cooling.

On water: some data centres in England and US sites referred to in the media use large volumes because they rely on open-loop cooling, which continuously draws in and evaporates water. Southside is designed differently. It uses a closed-loop system. Think of it as a cross between a very large central heating system and a refrigerator, which is filled once and thereafter only needs occasional topping up. Its ongoing water use is therefore minimal.

On energy: The site at Southside has a cool, windy climate which is a genuine advantage, because lower air temperatures and good airflow reduce the energy needed to keep the equipment cool. This site is particularly well placed in that respect. Its higher, more exposed location benefits fully from that natural cooling, unlike more sheltered brown field sites where still air and warmer conditions make cooling more energy-hungry.

Scotland can already generate far more electricity from renewable sources than it needs, and by siting data centres close to wind energy sources, they make use of costly wasted power which is not diverted from other users.

By harnessing wasted wind energy potential, and back-up power from batteries, the grid and, in extreme circumstances (gird connection failure), backup gas generation, a data centre like Southside makes minimal contribution to pollution.

The back-up gas generators deployed to the site will be “Hydrogen ready” which will allow these to be run on hydrogen instead of natural gas once the supply chain across Scotland becomes more established.

The number of staff employed by a data centre depends on the type of client it serves. Data centres offering serviced rack space require higher staffing levels than the highly efficient, standardised systems deployed by major IT providers. For the preliminary economic study we have erred on the side of caution and based our staffing numbers on those highly efficient systems. While the operational staffing of individual data centres is not frequently published, some comparisons can be made: Meta, for example, has published that it supports over 5,000 operational jobs across 30 sites, an average of 166 per site, well above the 100 we have estimated for Southside.

Data is sourced from the preliminary BiGGAR Economics report: Economic and Wider Impacts of Southside (forming part of the Environmental Impact Assessment). Note: Because final operational impacts vary depending on the final technical configuration and server profile of the data centre, we have deliberately reported the lower-bound estimates for all economic and employment figures to ensure conservative projections.

But objectors also argue that data centres shouldn’t be sited near population centres, given the amount of power they draw. So if not where most people live, then where?

Where proper measures are taken to minimise visual impact and to protect and enhance biodiversity, there is no reason a data centre cannot be located in a rural setting. In fact, sustainable development points that way: making direct use of renewable resources, which are often generated in rural areas, together with the higher altitude, exposure to wind and lower average temperatures that improve cooling efficiency, all favour rural sites.

The concept design reinforces this. Its green roof is a double-roof structure that insulates the building from solar heat gain, further improving thermal efficiency.

There will always be differences in approaches in a new global industry, but Southside is sensitively designed to blend in with the natural landscape and includes an extensive biodiversity enhancement programme which will be informed by the suite of environmental and biodiversity surveys that are being undertaken as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment.

Enhancements are likely to include, but not be limited to, rewetting of previously drained hill habitat together with planting of moorland tree and shrub species.

Community interest remains at the heart of the Roxburghe Estates’ values, as it strives to create and support thriving, economically sustainable businesses which in turn support rural services and help prevent rural depopulation.

Secure data storage benefits everyone, but a commitment of this scale will also support local businesses and underpin the long-term sustainability of Roxburghe Estate itself. The Estate already directly employs more than 150 local people, alongside a varying number of local contractors across its businesses. It also retains a portfolio of more than 250 homes, originally built to house agricultural, forestry and other Estate-related workers. The majority are today let at mid-market and affordable rent levels, supporting rural communities.

Southside is fully compliant with UK policy as well as policies laid out by Scottish Government and Scottish Borders Council. Through the rigorous planning process it will be subject to independent scrutiny and the community is encouraged to provide constructive feedback through the consultation process.

Non-domestic rates (commonly known as business rates) are a property tax levied on commercial and non-domestic properties. They are essentially the business equivalent of Council Tax, ensuring that those using land or buildings for non-domestic purposes contribute towards the cost of local council services. Any suggestion that certain businesses would not pay non-domestic rates on their operational premises in the UK is factually incorrect: the liability attaches to the property and is legally enforceable, regardless of who occupies it.

Data centres are the backbone of modern life. Every time someone books a GP appointment, looks up their NHS records, draws cash from a machine, files a tax return or taps a card to pay, that information is processed and stored in a data centre. Far from being an abstract technology, they are critical national infrastructure, the engine rooms behind the public services, financial systems and emergency response the country depends on every day. As that dependence grows, so does an important question: where does this infrastructure sit, and who controls it?

When the digital systems a country relies on are owned and operated from overseas, access to them can be restricted by a foreign government with little warning. Currently the vast majority of data centres are based in the US, with 158MW per million people, compared to 23MW per million people in the UK and 27MW per million people in the EU.

In June 2026, a single US export-control directive required AI company Anthropic to block access for all non-US nationals to its most advanced models.