MONTHS following GreenSquareDC’s withdrawal of their Hazelmere AI data centre, another data centre operator CDC is proposing a new facility within the industrial area off Bushmead Road.
According to the CDC September community update, 178-196 Bushmead Road was chosen as it is an industrial area close to everything needed to build and operate a data centre.
Trillion Trees chief executive officer Mark Hullet said their organisation met with the proponents on Tuesday alongside other Hazelmere residents, and associations.
“We were joined by representatives from Woodbridge Ratepayers Association and the Lower Helena Association,” he said.
“The proposed location is one of the last remaining pockets of precious established native vegetation on private land in Hazelmere, and known locally to provide critical habitat for threatened species of wildlife including black cockatoos and snake necked turtles”
Mr Hullet said their organisation was concerned about potential amenity and environmental impacts due to the scale of the proposed building.
“Throughout the successful campaign against the successful (GreenSquareDC proposal), the community’s voices were consistent and constantly concerned about the significant amenity and environmental impacts of a noisy, polluting, heating data factory adjacent to a school, bushland and residential homes.”
CDC chief operations officer Glenn Uidam said community engagement was underway.
“We’re in the early stages of engagement with the Hazelmere community and have appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from local residents, businesses, community groups and stakeholders,” he said.
“These conversations are helping shape our proposal and are informing how we communicate about the project, including the information we provide on our website and through community materials.
“We’re learning more about what people want and need to know, the questions they have and the issues that matter most to them.
“That feedback is valuable and is helping us better understand how we can be a positive contributor to the Hazelmere community as the project progresses.
“We are committed to continuing those conversations and providing clear, accessible information.”
RMIT University school of global, urban and social studies Vice Chancellor’s senior research fellow Sarah Burns, as cited in The Conversation, said data centres were increasingly being built near residential areas due to proximity aiding speed and convenience.
“The majority of existing data centres in places like Australia were built for another era: for things like streaming and cloud hosting,” she said.
“These applications kept things feeling instant by holding copies of popular content close to users, while the heavy lifting happened far away.
“Yet another factor here is power. Connecting a new site to the grid can take years, so operators favour locations where high-voltage transmission and substation capacity already exist.”
More information is available through CDC’s website.
