---
title: "‘People are standing up and fighting back’: the north Devon revolt against a vast AI datacentre"
slug: "widerstand-in-north-devon-anwohner-wehren-sich-gegen-riesiges-ai-rechenzentrum"
date: 2026-09-27
category: tech-pub
tags: []
language: en
sources_count: 1
featured: false
publisher: AInauten News
url: https://news.ainauten.com/en/story/widerstand-in-north-devon-anwohner-wehren-sich-gegen-riesiges-ai-rechenzentrum
---

# ‘People are standing up and fighting back’: the north Devon revolt against a vast AI datacentre

**Published**: 2026-09-27 | **Category**: tech-pub | **Sources**: 1

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## TL;DR

Plans for one of Europe's largest AI campuses inside a Unesco biosphere reserve in north Devon have triggered a fierce local backlash.

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## Summary

Plans for one of Europe's largest AI campuses inside a Unesco biosphere reserve in north Devon have triggered a fierce local backlash. The proposed hyperscale data campus would sit near the town of Great Torrington, in a protected landscape of wooded valleys and meadows along the River Torridge. Residents say the project threatens the character of the area, echoing a wave of datacentre protests that has spread across the US. The fight shows how the expansion of AI infrastructure is increasingly colliding with land use and environmental concerns in Europe too.

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## Why it matters

Plans for one of Europe's largest AI campuses inside a Unesco biosphere reserve in north Devon have triggered a fierce local backlash.

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## Key Points

- Plans for one of Europe's largest AI campuses inside a Unesco biosphere reserve in north Devon have triggered a fierce local backlash.
- The proposed hyperscale data campus would sit near the town of Great Torrington, in a protected landscape of wooded valleys and meadows along the River Torridge.
- Residents say the project threatens the character of the area, echoing a wave of datacentre protests that has spread across the US.
- The fight shows how the expansion of AI infrastructure is increasingly colliding with land use and environmental concerns in Europe too.

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## Nauti's Take

A campus like this carries real potential for a rural region: investment, tax revenue and some skilled jobs. The risk is the location, since a hyperscale datacentre inside a Unesco reserve needs huge amounts of power, water and land. Operators that commit early to waste heat reuse, renewable supply and genuine local input stand a better chance. Those who push such projects through against residents risk years of delays and a growing backlash against AI infrastructure across Europe.

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## FAQ

**Q:** What is ‘People are standing up and fighting back’ about?

**A:** Plans for one of Europe's largest AI campuses inside a Unesco biosphere reserve in north Devon have triggered a fierce local backlash.

**Q:** Why does it matter?

**A:** Plans for one of Europe's largest AI campuses inside a Unesco biosphere reserve in north Devon have triggered a fierce local backlash.

**Q:** What are the key takeaways?

**A:** Plans for one of Europe's largest AI campuses inside a Unesco biosphere reserve in north Devon have triggered a fierce local backlash.. The proposed hyperscale data campus would sit near the town of Great Torrington, in a protected landscape of wooded valleys and meadows along the River Torridge.. Residents say the project threatens the character of the area, echoing a wave of datacentre protests that has spread across the US.

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## Related Topics

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## Sources

- [‘People are standing up and fighting back’: the north Devon revolt against a vast AI datacentre](https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/sep/27/people-are-standing-up-and-fighting-back-north-devon-ai-datacentre) - The Guardian AI

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## About This Article

This article is a synthesis of 1 sources, curated and summarized by AInauten News. We aggregate AI news from trusted sources and provide bilingual (German/English) coverage.

**Publisher**: [AInauten](https://www.ainauten.com) | **Site**: [news.ainauten.com](https://news.ainauten.com)

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*Last Updated: 2026-09-27*