Data centre opposition is growing in Australia. Is there a middle ground?
Australia may have vast tracts of land and political will to support the growth of the artificial intelligence industry, but the development of data centres to power the technology is proving more challenging. Last month, property developer Goodman Group withdrew its application for a 90-megawatt data centre in Lane Cove, on Sydney’s lower north shore, after months of opposition from residents…
Australia's appetite for artificial intelligence development has led to a surge in the demand for data centres, but the construction of these facilities is facing significant opposition. The recent withdrawal of Goodman Group's 90-megawatt project in Lane Cove, Sydney, due to local concerns about electricity and water supply, noise pollution, and environmental impact, highlights this growing discontent.
Similar withdrawals, including GreenSquareDC's 120MW proposal in Perth and MAK Urban Group's smaller Katoomba proposal in New South Wales, reflect the same pattern of community pushback.
Residents' opposition is primarily centered around the perceived proximity of these large, resource-intensive facilities to homes, schools, and sensitive environmental areas. Concerns include constant noise from diesel backup generators, fire hazards, air pollution, and water usage. While some members of the community are open to the concept of data centres, they argue that such projects must be appropriately scaled and designed to minimize their impact.
Industry experts, such as Rob Nicholls from the University of Sydney, note that developers often target established industrial estates with convenient access to high-capacity electricity networks, fibre-optic connections, water, and sewerage. However, he suggests that scaled-down telecommunications infrastructure, like Telstra telephone exchange buildings, could potentially accommodate smaller data centre operations.
Communities affected by these proposed projects are uniting under the Australian Community Alliance for Responsible Data Centres, an informal network advocating for stronger safeguards for both residents and the environment. The alliance is calling for a moratorium on new approvals while local governments develop robust measures to address the concerns surrounding data centre development.
Researchers, including Nicholls and Deanna D’Alessandro, propose a "dual-gate" approval process that would include conditional planning consent and start of construction based on the availability of adequate energy and water supplies, as well as the implementation of recycled water and water usage caps during periods of low levels.
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