Residents of the NSW city of Wagga Wagga are questioning what a proposed $15 billion data centre would do for their community, as CDC Data Centres seeks to build one of the country's largest facilities on a 100-hectare council-owned site next to the city's landfill.
The proposed campus, which would consume more electricity each year than a million typical NSW homes, has sparked both opposition and cautious support among locals.
Liz Warrell, a Wagga resident, said her biggest question was how the development would benefit the community. "It's a big box; it sits there," she said. "I don't know if it generates employment, I know it's using resources and I know it's creating emissions. So what effect is that having on us as a community as our climate dries?"
Eden Summers, who lives 4 kilometres from the proposed site, started a petition against the development that has attracted more than 1,000 signatures. She said the land, currently zoned for primary production, was not appropriate for the project.
"Government likes to take action on big business projects without actually thinking of the locals," Ms Summers said. "People feel backstabbed."
But other residents, like Katrina Walker, think the site about 15 kilometres from the city centre makes sense. "If it's out at Gregadoo, that's a fair way out, so I think it'd be OK," she said.
Advocacy group Committee 4 Wagga has cautiously welcomed the proposal, having campaigned previously for more industry in the region. So far, only a scoping report providing an overview of the proposed state significant development has been made publicly available.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The project would be one of Australia's largest data centres, with power demand equivalent to more than a million NSW homes, raising questions about energy use and emissions in a region experiencing a drying climate.
- The proposal tests how regional communities balance economic development against environmental and lifestyle concerns, and whether state significant development processes give locals enough information early enough.
- The outcome could set a precedent for where large data infrastructure is sited in Australia and how much say local communities have.
Background
Data centres are large facilities that house computer servers for cloud computing and digital services. They are energy-intensive, using substantial electricity for both the equipment and the cooling systems needed to keep it running. As demand for digital services grows, companies are seeking new sites, sometimes in regional areas where land is available. In Australia, large projects can be declared state significant developments, which are assessed through a NSW government process rather than local council approval alone.
Key Perspectives
Residents opposed to the project: Liz Warrell and Eden Summers question the community benefit, point to the use of resources and emissions, and argue the current primary production zoning makes the site inappropriate. Ms Summers's petition argues the rural community should not have to be sacrificed for the development.
Residents cautiously supportive: Katrina Walker believes the site's distance from the city centre makes it a reasonable location for the facility.
Committee 4 Wagga: The local advocacy group has cautiously welcomed the proposal, reflecting its previous campaign for more industry in the region.
CDC Data Centres: The company is proposing to change the zoning of the council-owned site to allow the development, and has so far released only a scoping report for public review.
What to Watch
- Whether further environmental and planning documents are released for public comment, and what they reveal about water use, emissions and employment.
- The progress of the petition and any further community opposition as the assessment process moves forward.
- The NSW government's decision on whether to approve the project as a state significant development, and any conditions attached to that approval.