Statement from Phil Hutty Torrington Data Centre and BESS

As some of you will know, I have been following closely the proposals for a data centre and BESS (Battery Energy Storage System) near Great Torrington. I have listened carefully to the concerns being raised by local residents and have visited the proposed site myself.

Any development on a greenfield site will inevitably be contentious. That is why we must be absolutely clear that, where greenfield land is used instead of brownfield land, the benefits to the community — both now and for future generations — must be substantial enough to outweigh the loss of agricultural land.

That is particularly important at a time when food security is becoming increasingly critical, and when the proposed site is within the UNESCO North Devon Biosphere Reserve.

Great Torrington deserves investment that delivers long-term employment, strengthens the local economy and provides sustainable benefits for the community. Having considered these proposals, I do not believe this development will deliver those benefits.

I accept that, for reasons including our national security and economic resilience, we will need additional data centre capacity. But we also need to consider the wider implications of building large data centres while the development and use of AI is advancing so rapidly — and, importantly, where these facilities should be located.

Devon cannot become a dumping ground for development simply because we have a lower population density than other parts of the country.

That is why I am calling on the Government to halt this and the many other speculative applications that have emerged in recent months outside the Government’s own designated AI Growth Zones.

I am asking you to click the button below to sign my petition and help me make sure that Devon’s voice is heard.