Dougie Lockhart

Pensioner living in Scottish Borders. Interests: books, music, Scottish independence, democracy (in its literal sense).

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@TheBeanEyesOpen If Scotland declares independence (fond thought) the Americans will crush it if the English can’t.

We need to plan.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@SteveLovesAmmo Me neither. But I read the first book and gave up in despair when one of the characters was described as having ears as curly as his hair.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@itsrosesm Politics.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@AntiWokeMemes I hope he is well paid for his imaginary tales. I suppose he must be.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@Grouse_Beater Could we ask them to become politicians? Intelligent invertebrates would be better than the invertebrates we have.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

How confident are you that you can tell real video reportage from AI fabrications?

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

How do I stop this nonsense from cluttering up my timeline?

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

It’s funny. I’m the son of an Irish mother and a Scottish father. I once felt obliged to explain this to a girlfriend because I was suggesting to her that she should accompany me to the Irish harp festival.
She said that she’d noticed that I was a bit Scottish and a bit Irish as I had all the worst attributes of both.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@SSalyers2 @John_Arab @larabirdsnp Voting for politicians will only yield more politicians. Stop voting for the criminal elite and let’s have the courage to govern ourselves.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@TomK_Brit1993 I’ve no idea who he is. But right now Charlie the Chimp would make a better PM.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@RussianSpoof It’s relative. He’s better than any western politician but I’m afraid that bar is set very low.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@johannesmkx She’s a very ugly woman, and I’m not talking about her looks.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@TheIndyNinja1 It worries me that I suspect you’re right. It’s time to stop voting for the filth and start shooting them.

[Dave Llewellyn Boom Boom Tel Aviv @TheIndyNinja1]

With the present state of politics in this country I'm going to start investing in these whilst they are still legal . Sooner or later we're going to have to fight.

[Cat Brown 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🚜🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇮🇪 @MrsBr0wn_82]

🚨🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🗣 Stop the Data Centre Monster in the Scottish Borders!

A £2 billion industrial scale data centre is being pushed for a beautiful rural spot west of Duns, between Longformacus and Westruther in the Lammermuirs.

Developers call it "Southside" and promise jobs and wind powered operations, but this proposal risks turning one of Scotland’s most stunning landscapes into a concrete eyesore.

Campaigners from Save the Lammermuirs Stop the Data Centre are right to call it what it is a monster.

At 24 metres high, these massive buildings would drain electricity, dominate the views, and fundamentally change the character of this peaceful rural area.

Data centres typically create hundreds of temporary construction jobs, but only a small number of permanent operational jobs once built (often just 25 to 100 staff for maintenance and security). The developers’ claim of ~145 permanent local jobs is still very low for a £2 billion project that would industrialise a large rural site.

Reports from the US highlight further serious concerns constant noise pollution from fans and generators disrupts sleep, causes stress, anxiety, headaches, and other health issues for nearby residents.

Light pollution and habitat disruption harm wildlife affecting both nocturnal animals (like bats and owls) and daytime species (birds, insects, mammals) by interfering with natural behaviours, migration, breeding, and foraging.

This is the wrong development in the wrong place no matter how much they talk about "green roofs" or blending in.

AI needs infrastructure, but not by sacrificing irreplaceable countryside, dark skies, and wildlife habitats that locals and future generations cherish.

We’ve seen this story before: big promises of economic revival that deliver noise, traffic, visual blight, and long term damage to tourism and quality of life, while the real profits flow elsewhere.

What residents can do to reject this proposal:
Attend the public consultations and make your voice heard loud and clear.

Longformacus Village Hall: Thursday (this week), 13:00 to 19:00

Westruther Village Hall: 10 June, 13:00 to 19:00
Contact your Scottish Borders Council councillors and local MSPs immediately urge them to oppose any planning application.

Join or support the Save the Lammermuirs Stop the Data Centre group.

Share this widely, sign petitions if they appear, and rally your neighbours.

This isn’t inevitable.

Strong local opposition can stop irresponsible developments like this. Protect the Borders’ landscape, character, wildlife, and future say NO to the data centre monster.

Comment below and tag your local councillors!

The MP for the area is @John2Win

Links to the Facebook group, petition and planning documents are in the comments.

I have also included a MP template letter you can copy and paste and add relevant information or you draft your own

#SaveTheLammermuirs #StopTheDataCentre #ScottishBorders

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

England has Starmer, we have Swinney. It’s nice being up here and different, isn’t it ?

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

You are 18. Your ghost from the future comes back and whispers that there is something you must not do. Do you obey?

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@Sabiha1278 If they deported themselves that would be a useful start.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@AntiWokeMemes This is so boring.

[Dougie Lockhart @DougieLockhart]

@EmilySm43 Politician, except you might be over qualified.