Cato Data Centre project has triggered fierce opposition near Auchtertool, Fife, despite its potential to reshape Scotland’s digital infrastructure. The proposed 600MW hyper scale facility would become one of the world’s largest data centers if completed. ILI Group plans to develop the project across approximately 25 hectares beside the Mossmorran industrial complex. However, more than 1,600 objections have highlighted growing resistance to hyper scale construction across Scotland and the wider United Kingdom.
Cato Data Centre Project and the scale of construction
The Cato development would deliver up to seven buildings, alongside an on-site electricity substation and supporting infrastructure. Graeme Nicholls Architects designed the scheme, which would provide approximately 280,000 square meters of data center space.
The developer expects the project to attract about £5 billion in investment, equivalent to roughly $6.71 billion. Furthermore, ILI Group intends to construct the facility in phases over several years. The company expects construction to begin in 2027, subject to planning approval.
The proposed facility would support artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other data-intensive digital services. ILI also intends to power the center with renewable electricity. The project has an approved Gate 2 grid position supporting its planned 600MW electricity connection.
Additionally, ILI estimates annual water consumption at approximately 34,000 cubic meters. That volume compares with the annual consumption of about 239 homes, according to the developer.
ILI says Scottish Water has confirmed sufficient capacity for the development. The developer also says the facility would use infrastructure separate from Auchtertool’s existing water network.
However, the project’s enormous power requirement remains a central concern for opponents. Critics argue that hyper scale facilities could place additional pressure on Scotland’s electricity infrastructure and household energy costs.
Scotland’s data center expansion also includes the proposed 80,000-square-metre Spango Valley Data Center and 99MW BESS projects, highlighting the country’s growing pipeline of large-scale digital infrastructure developments.
Cato Data Centre Project faces planning and environmental scrutiny
The opposition has intensified as residents question the project’s scale, environmental effects and potential community benefits. Auchtertool Community Council has opposed locating the 600MW facility beside the village. Meanwhile, Action to Protect Rural Scotland has called for stronger scrutiny of hyper scale developments. The Scottish Greens have also urged Fife Council to reject the Cato proposal.
Environmental concerns include energy demand, water consumption, landscape impacts and potential pollution from backup generation. The project site also contains the Dronachy Burn and includes areas requiring flood-risk assessment. Importantly, Scotland has now strengthened oversight of large data center developments. A new Scottish Government direction requires councils to notify ministers about applications exceeding 50MW.
The government has also directed environmental impact assessments for developments in Fife and Edinburgh. That move reflects increasing pressure for greater scrutiny of Scotland’s rapidly expanding data center pipeline. The Scottish Parliament has separately highlighted concerns surrounding 24 hyper scale proposals across Scotland. Collectively, those developments could require up to 6,000MW of electricity if approved.
That demand could exceed Scotland’s peak electricity consumption, according to parliamentary discussions. Consequently, lawmakers and campaigners have pushed for a national planning moratorium on hyper scale facilities.
The wider UK data center construction backlash
The resistance extends beyond Fife as communities challenge large-scale data center construction across the United Kingdom. Protests and objections have emerged in areas including Airdrie, Larbert, Wales, Northern Ireland and Norwich.
In Scotland, developers see abundant renewable electricity, cooler temperatures and available land as major advantages. However, communities increasingly want clear economic, environmental and infrastructure benefits before supporting new projects.
The debate now places Scotland’s AI ambitions against concerns about energy security and environmental protection. Therefore, Cato could become an important test for future hyper scale construction across the country.
The Scottish Government says data centers can support economic growth while advancing digital infrastructure. However, ministers also insist that projects must address climate, infrastructure and community considerations.
Project Fact Sheet
Name: Cato Data Centre
Type: Hyper scale artificial intelligence data center
Location: Auchtertool, Fife, Scotland
Developer: ILI Group
Investment: Approximately £5 billion
Planned capacity: 600MW
Proposed site: Approximately 25 hectares
Planned floor area: Approximately 280,000 square metres
Buildings: Up to seven data centre buildings
Power infrastructure: Dedicated on-site substation
Electricity supply: Planned renewable electricity
Water consumption: Approximately 34,000 cubic metres annually
Construction schedule: Planned phased construction from 2027
Planning status: Planning permission in principle application submitted
Planning authority: Fife Council
Wider program: First project under ILI Group’s Stoics network
Wider Stoics capacity: Approximately 1.5GW across three proposed facilities
Reported objections: More than 1,600
Project Team
Developer: ILI Group
Architect: Graeme Nicholls Architects
Planning authority: Fife Council
Economic analysis: BiGGAR Economics
Water infrastructure consultation: Scottish Water
Flood risk consultant: Kaya Consulting
Environmental campaigner: Action to Protect Rural Scotland
Local community representative: Auchtertool Community Council
Wider planning oversight: Scottish Government
Leave a Reply