Sydney Data Centre Dropped
Goodman withdraws A$1.2 billion Sydney data centre application following heavy community opposition.
Anonymous
Goodman Group has withdrawn its A$1.2 billion application to build Project Mars, a 90-megawatt data centre in Sydney’s Lane Cove, after sustained opposition from residents and amid changes to state and federal data-centre policies. The proposed facility would have stood roughly 20 metres from nearby homes and near a public school, prompting concerns about its local impacts and the broader demands data centres place on energy and water supplies. The dispute reflects a wider tension in Australia between attracting investment in AI infrastructure and responding to community concerns. New South Wales has introduced a fast-track assessment framework with conditions for data-centre proposals, while federal rules are also being developed.
Key Points
1
The proposal received 374 submissions during consultation, with only nine supporting it; a local news site reported this was the highest number ever recorded for a data-centre application.
2
The proposal became an issue at the first hearing of a federal Senate inquiry into AI and data-centre expansion. Goodman development head Ben McGilp faced repeated pressure from Liberal senator Sarah Henderson to withdraw the application.
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NSW’s fast-track framework aims to assess qualifying data-centre applications within 75 days. Its stated principles include high standards for noise and air pollution, no net cost to consumers and communities, and funding extra water and energy supply.
4
The facility was planned as a three-storey development, about 160 metres from Lane Cove West Public School; it would have involved converting an existing warehouse.
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