North Devon Town Fights Plans for Vast AI Data Campus in UNESCO Reserve
Residents of Great Torrington are pushing back against a proposed hyperscale AI data campus inside a globally protected UNESCO biosphere reserve.
A proposed hyperscale artificial intelligence data campus in north Devon has ignited strong community opposition, joining a broader wave of resistance to large-scale data infrastructure projects that has already swept parts of the United States. The planned facility, described as one of the largest AI campuses in Europe, would be situated within a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve — a landscape recognized internationally for its ecological and scenic value.
The town of Great Torrington sits at the center of the dispute. Positioned on an inland cliff, it commands sweeping views over the River Torridge, wooded valleys, and wildflower meadows that form the heart of the reserve. Residents and conservation advocates argue that a development of this scale is fundamentally incompatible with the protected status and rural character of the surrounding area.
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The controversy reflects a mounting tension playing out across the Western world as governments and corporations race to build the physical infrastructure demanded by the AI boom, often targeting rural or semi-rural land where large plots are available and energy costs may be lower. Critics contend that protected landscapes should be shielded from such industrial-scale development regardless of the economic rationale offered by proponents.
Local voices have framed the pushback in emphatic terms, signaling that opposition is organized and determined rather than a passing protest. The conflict echoes similar battles in the United States, where communities have challenged data center projects on grounds ranging from environmental impact to strain on local water and power supplies.
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