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Bettesworth Construction
Camilla Castle

Hallyards Castle: HES Declined Scheduled Status as Data Centre Proposal Awaited Decision

HES declined scheduled-monument status for Hallyards Castle, despite describing it as nationally important. The reported data-centre proposal was awaiting a Fife Council decision.

By Bettesworth Construction Team 4 min read
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Historic Environment Scotland (HES) declined to designate Hallyards Castle—also known as Camilla Castle—as a scheduled monument at the time covered by The National’s report. HES described the remains as nationally important, but said it would not designate the site while the planning process was under way. The report said a proposed data centre was awaiting a Fife Council decision; that status is not independently confirmed here as current.

What is proposed for the Hallyards Castle site?

The National reported that ILI Group had lodged plans with Fife Council for a 600 MW hyperscale data centre at the Cato site. The article described the application as awaiting a council decision. The capacity and planning status are therefore details reported by that article, not independently verified specifications or a live planning update. Read The National’s report, republished by inkl.com.

The same report attributed a £5 billion investment figure to the developers. That is a claimed investment, not an independently verified amount or a realised economic benefit. The available information does not establish the proposal’s detailed construction effects, infrastructure requirements, or environmental impacts.

Why did HES decline to designate the castle?

HES’s reported position was not that the remains lacked importance. The National quoted the agency saying: “although our assessment demonstrates that Camilla (formerly Hallyards) Castle is of national importance, we do not intend to designate this site as a scheduled monument at this time”. HES also said: “There may be an opportunity to consider the site again in the future once the planning process has concluded.”

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The report said HES cited the advanced stage of the Cato data-centre proposals. It did not publish enough of the agency’s case-specific assessment to explain in detail how timing, planning status, or other considerations shaped the decision. The distinction matters: recognising national importance and deciding whether to apply scheduled-monument protection are related but not identical decisions.

HES’s general guidance says it assesses designation requests individually and prioritises them with regard to development impact and timing, risk of loss or damage, community interest, and whether an initial review indicates that designation criteria may be met. This describes the agency’s process; it does not independently establish every reason for its decision in this case. HES: How we designate protected historic places.

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What is known about the castle’s history?

The National quoted HES describing the remains as a courtyard-planned castle believed to date to the 16th and 17th centuries, and as a rare example of a medieval bishop’s residence later used as a secular castle. The article also referred to possible occupation of the site nearly 1,000 years ago. That earlier possibility is a separate historical claim; it should not be treated as the established date of the surviving castle remains.

What are residents and the developer saying?

Liam Stewart, described in The National’s report as a researcher of Auchtertool’s history and the person who applied for designation, said: “The community is deeply disappointed by Historic Environment Scotland’s decision.” He also said: “Well, I would like to tell the Scottish Government that this community does not consent.” These statements convey opposition from Stewart and the community members he represents; they do not themselves determine the planning application.

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ILI Group told the newspaper: “Before any construction, the site would be fully excavated and recorded by qualified archaeologists, with the findings published.” The company also proposed reusing remaining stonework in a publicly accessible setting on site. These are reported plans, not evidence that excavation, publication, or stonework reuse has taken place. The available account does not establish whether those measures would preserve the heritage value that scheduled designation is intended to protect.

Will the data centre be built over Hallyards Castle?

The reported account does not settle that question. It said the proposal was awaiting Fife Council’s decision, while HES left open the possibility of considering the site again after the planning process. It does not establish a later council outcome, whether the development would affect particular remains, or whether any conditions would require changes to the design or construction approach.

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For a reliable current answer, readers need the live Fife Council planning record and the full HES assessment. Key questions are whether the application has since been decided, what the plans show for the castle remains, and whether archaeological work or stonework reuse is required, proposed, or merely intended. The available case report does not quantify the trade-off between the claimed investment and local heritage, environmental, or infrastructure concerns.

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How designation requests work in Scotland

HES is responsible for national-level designations that include scheduled monuments and listed buildings. Its published guidance says designation requests can be submitted using its designation form and are considered individually. The guidance also discusses a Certificate of Intention Not to List for buildings; that is a separate mechanism and should not be confused with the scheduled-monument decision reported for Hallyards Castle. See HES’s designation guidance.

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A separate Scottish dispute is not evidence about Hallyards

Action to Protect Rural Scotland has covered a separate data-centre dispute involving Hunterston Castle. That campaign material reflects an advocacy group’s perspective on another site; it does not establish the likely effects of the Cato proposal or supply neutral evidence about Hallyards Castle. Action to Protect Rural Scotland: Hunterston Data Centre.

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