Qld government takes data centre approvals from councils to avoid 'inconsistency'

The Queensland government will begin assuming responsibility for planning and assessing data centre applications, set to commence in the coming weeks. This decision affects Australia's largest proposed data centre, situated in the Western Downs, a region west of Brisbane known for its agricultural and coal seam gas presence. The government plans to emulate its approach to renewable energy projects by necessitating a social impact assessment and community benefit agreement with the local council prior to submitting a development application.

Data centers are increasingly attracting developers' interest in Queensland due to the state's expansive land availability and robust energy grid connection capabilities. Queensland has yet to establish dedicated planning procedures for data centers, unlike neighboring Victoria and New South Wales. The state government asserts that these changes will establish a consistent and transparent framework statewide.

Many councils currently lack data center inclusion in their planning schemes, leading to confusion and inconsistencies, according to the government. The government pledges to treat data center projects on par with mining, renewable energy, or tourism ventures. Premier David Crisafulli emphasized that any data center investment must generate local employment and contribute to reducing electricity costs.

Premier Crisafulli outlined the non-negotiable conditions for data center development in Queensland, stating that projects should not encroach on residents' properties, strain the power supply, or transfer data abroad. If these conditions are met, and the investment contributes to lowering power bills while creating jobs, the government has given its approval.

The Western Downs Regional Council is currently evaluating the $32 billion Western Downs Digital Park, a proposed hyper-scale computing project on a former cattle feedlot. International developer Zerra DC submitted plans for the project in August, and Anthropic, the entity behind the AI assistant Claude, has committed to leasing the first of four planned buildings at the site.

Despite the council's lack of a definitive timeline for assessing the application, Zerra DC seeks expedited approval by engaging the state government, which can assume decision-making authority under prescribed conditions.