Scottish government to consider moratorium on new datacentres after SNP motion

The Scottish government is set to consider a sweeping moratorium on building new datacentres, following a motion passed by the SNP's national council on June 28, 2026. The motion, which calls for a freeze on all new datacentre projects in Scotland, has been forwarded to the Scottish government for deliberation. This development puts at risk a key plank of the UK's AI strategy, which relies on datacentre infrastructure to support AI workloads. The SNP motion reflects growing concerns about energy consumption and environmental impact of datacentres. The outcome of the Scottish government's consideration could have significant implications for AI development and investment in the UK.