Plans to construct one of Europe's largest AI datacentres, alongside a battery energy storage system, on 850 acres of farmland in a small Devon town are encountering local resistance. The proposed development is described as disproportionate to its rural location, being larger than the town itself and accessed by narrow lanes.
Residents have voiced concerns that the project would negatively impact their quality of life due to noise, lights, and its demand for energy and water. The site is also noted as a beautiful rural landscape, vital for holidaymakers and the local economy, which locals believe would be marred by the development.