PLANS for a green data centre on the former Cockenzie Power Station site will not bring jobs to the community, it has been claimed.

The latest proposal for the site, which is owned by East Lothian Council, sees it being put forward as one of 12 prime locations for data centres, which would operate using ‘green’ energy, by the Scottish Futures Trust.

But while the trust says the site is an attractive location to support Scotland’s digital ambitions, Prestonpans community councillor Calum Miller has described it as “another giant empty shed”.

The local authority bought the former power station and surrounding land from ScottishPower three years ago and has been marketing it as an important economic site for the county.

To date, the only approved plans for the land are an unmanned substation which will bring energy onshore from a windfarm; the substation has been described by Prestonpans Community Council and neighbouring Cockenzie and Port Seton Community Council as a “big shed”.

The Host in Scotland initiative for Scottish Futures Trust  is partnered with Scottish Enterprise, whose original plans for a marine energy park on the site seven years ago had to be abandoned after a huge grassroots protest.

READ MORE: Energy park plans scrapped

Alongside Crown Estate Scotland, it has published a shortlist of sites which could be green data centres, with Cockenzie number two on the list behind Chapelcross, Annan.

The sites are described as offering excellent conditions which “could quickly and easily lend themselves to becoming a large-scale data centre facility”.

Data centres are described as buildings where large networks of computer servers are placed by companies to process and store vast amounts of data.

East Lothian Council has said that delays in decisions over Cockenzie are being caused because the Scottish Government has still to decide where the site lies in its National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) plans, which are still being drawn up.

In previous NPF strategies, the site has been earmarked as one  of national energy importance.

Mr Miller questioned why a ferry port bid backed by Prestonpans Community Council was being blocked by concern over national policy while a data centre was being pushed forward.

READ MORE: Cruise terminal talks 

He said: “It’s odd that NPF4 is such a huge blocker on a cruise/ferry port but welcomes another giant empty shed here with open arms.

“The data centre plan will keep Scottish bureaucrats busy in Edinburgh but it won’t create many employment opportunities in Prestonpans.”

And he questioned whether promoting the centres in Scotland as a ‘green’ alternative would attract business.

He said: “I’ve worked in IT all my life but fail to see how Scottish data centres will offer value over what Amazon/Google/Microsoft are already building on an international basis.

 “Green energy is not the market differentiator the Scottish Government wants it to be.

“IT companies purchase cloud resources based on service, price, reliability, security and proximity. A data centre backed by expensive and unreliable wind energy is way down the list.”

Derek McCrindle, Scottish Enterprise head of place, said that the shortlist of sites would “attract investors looking for a place to host data that can provide the right solutions for the climate and the economy”.

And the proposal was welcomed by East Lothian MP Kenny MacAskill, who said: “This is a potential opportunity for the site. It’s something that’s lacking in Scotland and yet badly needed.

“It would bring employment and yet doesn’t restrict additional uses. It’s something that council and government must work collaboratively on.”