This report in the planned 600MW data centre at Auchtertool was written before the planning application for Planning Permission in Principle came in on the basis of the documents in the EIA scoping report

Report for the application by: ILI Cato Limited – 

Land To The North Of Camilla Road, Gleniston, Auchtertool Fife, nearby KY2 5XW

25/03978/PAN 

Cato Data Centre (the “Development”).

Data centre campus comprising a data hall building, plant, electricity substations, security fencing, gatehouses, internal access roads, parking, pathways, associated ancillary infrastructure, and landscaping including ponds, landscape bunds, new woodland, wetland, hedgerow, scrub, and wildflower meadow habitats

Summary:

The purpose of this report is to highlight concerns regarding the planning permission application for the erection of an AI-focused 600MW data centre, comprising data hall buildings, gatehouses and associated infrastructure, including electricity substations, fencing, plant and machinery, access roads, paths, parking, drainage and landscaping.

Background 

2.1 Site description 

The site, currently farmland, forms part of Camilla Farm, north-west of the village of Auchtertool, Fife. The land is used for agriculture with no residential properties within 300 metres of the proposed buildings. 

The nearest residences are to the east at Camilla Road (around 300 metres), Little Raith and Glenniston Cottages (around 350 and 400 metres respectively, to the north) with Auchtertool Kirk around 700 metres to the south. 

The surrounding area is a mix of agricultural uses, with scattered farms and dwellings, as well as large-scale industrial uses and energy infrastructure including wind farms, pylons, solar and energy storage. The substantial Mossmorran gas plant lies roughly 1.5km to the west and directly occupies an area of around 100 hectares. Several wind farms are present in the surrounding area and there are two electricity substations and their associated pylon lines nearby. There is a wooded gorge that runs through the site, the ‘Auchtertool Linn Wildlife Site’ through which Dronachy Burn flows. 

2.2 Site History

The application site forms part of the Camilla Farm Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), a 50 MW battery energy storage facility. The current proposal seeks permission for a 600 MW data centre on agricultural land near the village of Auchtertool, located between Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath in Fife.

Review of the submitted plans indicates that the proposed development footprint extends across the location of Halyard’s Castle, a historic asset situated within the site area.

Pre-Application Consultation and Environmental Impact Assessment

A Proposal of Application Notice (PAN) (Ref. 25/00552/PAN) was submitted and agreed by Fife Council on 22 March 2025.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Request (Ref. 25/03079/SCR) was subsequently submitted on 10 November 2025. Fife Council issued its screening opinion on 1 April 2026, determining that an EIA was not required for the proposed development.

Main Report

3.1 Description of the Proposal 

The application is a planning application for a new hyperscale data centre campus with an energy demand of 600MW (Class 6). Comprising of data hall buildings, gatehouses and associated infrastructure, including electricity substations, fencing, plant and machinery, access roads, paths, parking, drainage and landscaping. 

3.2 Key Issues 

The key considerations against which the application will be assessed include whether: 

a) The principle of the development is acceptable in this location: 

Local development plan ( LDP) FIFEplan and National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) form the adopted development plan against which any planning application will be assessed, along with other material considerations. 

As the site partially falls with Auchtertool Linn Local Wildlife Site and in close proximity to Camilla Loch SSSI, the Firth of Forth SPA, and Loch Leven SPA, the development proposal is subject to a range of environmental constraints. The FIFEplan states that such proposals must satisfy at least one criteria within Part A and comply with all relevant requirements of Parts B and C of Policy 1: Development Principles. In particular, the proposal must demonstrate compliance with Part B(7), which seeks to safeguard the character and qualities of the landscape.

While the application may not take place directly within the designated area, there are concerns regarding impacts on biodiversity and protected habitats. These impacts may arise through construction disturbance, increased noise and lighting, changes to drainage patterns, greater levels of human activity and potential restrictions on habitat connectivity and access. Consequently, any planning application would need to demonstrate compliance with FIFEplan Policy 13: Natural Environment, which states that development proposals will only be supported where they protect or enhance natural heritage and access assets, including Local Wildlife Sites.

b) Environmental Factors Requiring Consideration

Significant weight is attached to addressing the global climate and nature crises within both the FIFEPlan and NPF4. Consequently, the applicant will be required to demonstrate that the proposal is acceptable in terms of sustainability, ecology, landscape character, soils and drainage. In particular, the development must demonstrate compliance with NPF4 Policy 1, which states that significant weight will be given to the global climate and nature crises when assessing all development proposals. The applicant must therefore provide evidence that the proposal contributes positively towards climate mitigation objectives and does not undermine wider environmental sustainability goals.

The proposal must also align with NPF4 Policy 3: Biodiversity, which requires developments to contribute to biodiversity enhancement through measures such as habitat restoration, strengthening ecological networks and integrating nature-based solutions where appropriate. Further, consideration should be given to the wider suite of NPF4 Natural Places policies due to the ecological sensitivity of the surrounding area. Under NPF4 Policy 4 a) Development proposals which by virtue of type, location or scale will have an unacceptable impact on the natural environment, will not be supported – The development proposal therefore must demonstrate that it will not have unacceptable impacts. 

NPF4 Policy 6: relating to forestry, woodland and trees is particularly relevant, as the proposal may require the pruning or removal of several trees to facilitate access routes and pathway construction. Any such works would need to be justified and accompanied by appropriate mitigation and compensatory planting measures where necessary.

The proposal will also be required to comply with NPF4 Policy 22: Flood Risk and Water Management. This policy seeks to ensure that development is not located in areas at risk of flooding and does not increase flood risk elsewhere. As such, appropriate flood risk assessments and sustainable drainage measures may be necessary to demonstrate that the development can be accommodated without adverse impacts on the surrounding environment.

Furthermore, given the scale of the proposed data centre and its anticipated electricity demand, there remains uncertainty regarding the extent of supporting energy infrastructure that may be required. Additional electricity generation facilities, substations, transmission infrastructure, or other energy-related developments may be necessary to support the operation of the facility. The cumulative environmental effects of any associated infrastructure should therefore be fully assessed as part of the planning process to ensure that all direct, indirect, and secondary impacts are understood and appropriately mitigated prior to the determination of any planning application.

c) There are heritage impacts that require consideration:

There are historic assets within the site location, including castle ruins. The applicant 

will be required to demonstrate that the application is acceptable with regard to relevant sections of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997. The LDP states that ‘ Such development proposals must meet one of the points in Part A and conform to all applicable requirements in Parts B and C’. The development plan must therefore demonstrate compliance with the following relevant criteria and Policy 1: Development Principles, part B, 10: Safeguard the characteristics of the historic environment, including archaeology. 

d) The design, scale and layout are acceptable: 

The applicant will be required to comply with relevant LDP and NPF 4 design policies as well as guidance where applicable, e.g. Six Qualities of Successful Places and Making Fife’s Places Supplementary Guidance – buildings, green infrastructure, and streets. 

In order to support the application, the following documents are anticipated: 

• Air Quality Impact Assessment 
• Archaeology Information 
• Biodiversity Enhancement Plans 
• Bird Hazard Management Plan 
• Cultural & Heritage Assessment 
• Design and Access Statement 
• Energy Strategy & Sustainability and Climate Change Information; 
• Economic Information 
• Flood Risk Assessment and Surface Water Management Plan 
• Geo-environmental Assessment 
• Heat and Power Plan 
• Instrument Flight Procedures Assessment 
• Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment 
• Landscape plan 
• Lighting Impact Assessment 
• Noise Impact Assessment 
• Planning Statement 
• Pre-application Consultation Report 
• Preliminary Ecological Appraisal and Bat Surveys (subject to findings of PEA) 
• Lighting Impact Assessment 
• Noise Impact Assessment 
• Planning Statement 
• Pre-application Consultation Report 
• Preliminary Ecological Appraisal and Bat Surveys (subject to findings of PEA) 
• Site Investigation Report 
• Soil Management Plan 
• Sustainability Information Statement and SI form 
• Surface Water Management Plan 
• Tree Survey and Arboriculture Impact Assessment
• Transport Assessment 
• Waste Management information. 

This report highlights the main issues that in relation to key considerations. This list is not exhaustive, and further matters may arise when the new application is received.

This Report produced on behalf of APRS by volunteer planner, Rachel Caulfield.