Plans for a seventh data centre in Macquarie Park have sparked severe local backlash over fears the north-west Sydney suburb is becoming a technology wasteland.
Technology infrastructure firm NextDC has proposed constructing a 65-metre high, 46,935-square-metre facility at 269 Lane Cove Road, directly looming over the entrance to Macquarie Park Metro Station.
The proposed facility would draw up to 90 megawatts of power. If approved, it would mark the seventh data centre in Macquarie Park, where NextDC already oversees two sites, Macquarie Data Centres operates two with a third under construction, and Stockland owns one facility.
Local Council and Community Backlash
The City of Ryde has hit back at the proposal. City of Ryde Mayor Trenton Brown publicly opposed the project, arguing that the land would be far better used for local housing or jobs.
Local residents have also voiced strong opposition. One resident called the plans "bleeding ridiculous", adding that the area "is already an overcrowded mess - a perfect example of what a mess Sydney planning has been in the last 40 years."
A second local stated that the project "can't go ahead until there is a further Parliamentary Inquiry with direct and evidence on the cumulative impact", while another resident warned: "They will destroy Lane Cove river and electricity supply."
Macquarie Park, located 13 kilometres north of Sydney, is a major business and technology district in the City of Ryde local government area. Data centres are facilities that house computer systems and network infrastructure to store and process digital information, requiring significant land and electricity supplies to operate.
Support and Industry Defense
Other residents defended the proposal, seeing advantages in commercial development over residential high-rises. One local commented: "There are so many of these around, better than apartments with more congestion. We need more internet and less people."
Another resident welcomed the news, calling it "great news, critical skills and the industry of the future, we need more," and adding: "We need to remain competitive and keep investing in the knowledge economy."
Data Centres Australia chief executive Belinda Dennett defended the development on ABC radio with host Hamish Macdonald. She compared data centres to transport hubs, arguing that infrastructure supports wider economic growth.
"If you look at that railway station that you've just talked about, not many people work in the railway station, but the railway enables a lot of economic activity," Dennett told ABC radio. "It moves people from workplace to workplace and data centres are very much the same thing."
When pressed by Macdonald on whether the project would benefit local residents, Dennett said: "I don't think it's my personal view that is particularly relevant here."
Dennett added: "I'm also not a Sydney resident, so I'm not particularly familiar with the specific site you're talking about. What I think we need to have is more engagement at a planning level to decide what we think works and what doesn't work."
Economic Claims and Project Details
In its planning submission, NextDC stated that the proposed facility would play "a pivotal role in enhancing the local economy by creating significant job opportunities within the community."
The company expects the development to create up to 942 construction jobs and 490 permanent "specialist and operational" positions once completed.
NextDC also noted in its submission that the site is "highly accessible" to public transport users and motorists, supporting its case for approval. Daily Mail contacted NextDC for comment.
