Fresh off driving a $600 million data centre out of Perth’s east, Hazelmere residents are girding for a second battle as another tech giant sets its sights on their neighborhood.
Five months after GreenSquareDC was forced to withdraw its application for a $600 million data centre near the banks of the Helena River due to public outcry, a Canberra-based developer hopes to have more luck.
Canberra Data Centres (CDC) is looking to build a $337 million four-storey centre at 178 and 196 Bushmead Road around two kilometres from the proposed GreenSquareDC site.
Public consultation for the proposal opened this week, with plans posted to the City of Swan’s website showing the development would take up 85,945sqm and comprise 87 parking bays.
A maximum of 75 people will be on site at any one time, the proposal explains, and the facility will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A petition was submitted to change.org by local Melita McDonald on September 30 and requested the City to ensure the proposal was subject to “comprehensive, independent assessment and meaningful community consultation before any approval is granted.”
“We ask that the long-term interests of nearby residents, the surrounding community, the Helena River, wetlands, waterways, native wildlife, threatened and endangered species and the broader environment are properly protected and considered,” the petition reads.
“We call for comprehensive independent assessment, transparency, meaningful community consultation and appropriate enforceable conditions to address the potential impacts of this development and all associated infrastructure.”
So far 53 people have signed the petition, but if history proves anything, people power makes a big difference for data centres in Hazelmere.
When GreenSquareDC submitted their data centre plans, the City received a total of 1890 submissions regarding the proposal, with 1829 people opposing the development.
The proposal by Sydney-based company would have seen a three-storey facility built next to the Helena River Waldorf School, on two Aboriginal heritage sites and approximately 40 metres from the Helena River channel.
Public outcry against the proposal planned for lots 14 and 15 on Stirling Crescent was aired at several City of Swan council meetings, with concerns around environmental impacts, noise pollution and cultural insensitivity.
Trillion Trees were one of the organisations against the first data centre proposal and have been equally as vocal about their concerns for CDC’s plans.
“Development of this land will mean the loss of one of the last remaining pockets of significant remnant vegetation on private land in Hazelmere,” reads a Trillion Trees press release.
“Connected corridors of vegetation through urban areas are critical for the survival of native wildlife species already under threat, including Carnaby’s black cockatoos and snake necked turtles.”
The press release says the community has many wide-ranging concerns about the development including canopy loss, wetland loss, scale, and proximity to homes.
They are urging people – locals or not – to voice their concerns over the proposal.
City of Swan has advised people submitting comments on the proposal that they are not the decision maker for the application.
“The application will be determined by the Metro Outer Development Assessment Panel (MODAP) due to the value of the proposed works,” a City spokesperson said.
Submissions for public comment will close on November 5.