Current status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the (a) number and (b) energy capacity of data centres that are currently in the Scottish planning system.
The Scottish Government does not hold a centrally maintained dataset specifically identifying developments as data centres within the planning system.
Planning applications are submitted, assessed and determined by planning authorities, and information on the type, scale and energy demand of proposals is recorded through local authority planning registers and associated supporting documentation.
The Scottish Government engages with planning authorities, the energy sector and wider stakeholders to understand emerging development trends, including those associated with digital infrastructure and data centres.