Devon council backed Xlinks AI datacentre before it went public

Torridge district council in north Devon held private talks with developer Xlinks since March 2025 and sent a letter of support in April 2025, before any environmental study or public consultation. Xlinks plans a 1.5GW AI data campus and 1.8GW battery site on about 344 hectares in a UNESCO biosphere reserve, at a cost of up to £13.8bn.

• Xlinks held private talks with Torridge council from March 2025; support letter sent in April
• Project: 1.5GW AI campus and 1.8GW battery on 344 hectares, cost up to £13.8bn
• One document cited up to 2.9bn litres of water a year in severe heat and drought
• A national petition against datacentres outside AI growth zones passed 36,000 signatures