To North Ayrshire Council and the Planning Directorate,

We, the undersigned residents and supporters, call upon North Ayrshire Council to reject the proposed hyperscale data centre development at Hunterston.

This proposal would transform approximately 84 hectares of agricultural land into a major industrial complex, with buildings reaching up to 35 metres in height and occupying up to 300,000 square metres of land.

The development threatens one of North Ayrshire’s most important coastal landscapes, situated between productive farmland, sensitive marine environments and historic landmarks.

We believe the proposal raises serious concerns regarding:

• Loss of valuable agricultural land and open countryside.

• Potential impacts on coastal and marine ecosystems within the Firth of Clyde.

• Potential impacts on wildlife, including seabirds, migratory birds, marine mammals and other species that depend on local habitats.

• The proximity of the site to environmentally sensitive areas, including Southannan Sands SSSI.

• Noise, lighting and visual impacts arising from a large-scale industrial facility operating continuously.

• Pressure on local infrastructure and utilities.

• ⁠A78 Traffic Congestion  through the residential areas of Seamill and Fairlie due to construction and heavy goods vehicles.

• Unsafe Site Access: the proposed site access point is actively unsafe; the historic stone pillars at the South Entrance are physically too narrow to accommodate two-way HGV traffic, creating a severe bottleneck and an immediate road safety hazard.

• Harm to the setting and character of historic assets, including Hunterston Castle and Portencross Castle.

• The industrialisation of a landscape valued by residents and visitors alike.

We further call upon North Ayrshire Council to ensure that any environmental assessment undertaken is comprehensive, transparent and based upon robust ecological, biodiversity, noise, landscape, heritage and marine impact studies.

Hunterston’s coast, countryside and heritage are irreplaceable. Once lost, they cannot be restored.

We therefore urge North Ayrshire Council to refuse planning permission for this development and prioritise the protection of North Ayrshire’s environment, communities and historic landscape.

(Image credit Kat Jones )