THE City of Whittlesea resolved to unanimously call for Mayor Councillor Lawrie Cox write to the Victorian Government to inquire into data centres amid community interest in development at the August council meeting.
Interest in data centres have exploded in recent months, particularly in South Morang, with two such planned centres located in South Morang to be developed by Dover DC.
Councillors had the opportunity to speak on the motion dissecting the proposed impact of data centres last Tuesday night.
“I strongly support the recommendation before us. There are clear statements that this Council stands with our community in the face of rapid, large-scale developments that are being imposed on us without adequate consultation, transparency or regard for local impact,” Councillor Alan Lenberg said.
“We are dealing with powerful interests – in some cases, these are foreign corporations with no long-term connections to our suburbs, no accountability to our residents, and no incentive to care what happens to our environment, our infrastructure or our quality of life.”
“That is why robust regulatory framework is essential. Without it, we leave our residents exposed to decisions made in boardrooms far removed from the reality on the ground. We cannot allow data centres to be fast-tracked into our community simply because it is convenient for developers or politically expedient for our state.
“As elected representatives, we have a duty to balance the books with the wellbeing of our constituents. Yes, fiscal responsibility matters, but it cannot come at the expense of clean air, reliable water, safe streets and a liveable environment.
“We are custodians of finite resources that must be protected for future generations. If we fail to act now, we will have surrendered our community’s future to short-term gain.
“These recommendations demand transparency, accountability and genuine community input. They call for proper enquiry, a published action plan and a regulatory framework that puts people before profit – that is not anti-development, it is pro-responsibility.”
Cr Jarrod Lappin said the community needed to be consulted in these matters.
“This motion before us is at its core an attempt to ensure that our Council and its residents which we represent are at the negotiating table when these data centre developments are proposed,” he said.
“We need to ensure that these huge projects don’t encroach on our employment precinct and our opportunities, that they don’t ignore our plan and they don’t further endanger our community to the risk of climate change.
“As it stands, and the way these data centres in South Morang have been approved, our community have had no say in that.
“These developments are being opposed on our community, and this motion declares that’s not good enough.”
Cr Aidan McLindon was blunt in his assessment, calling the proposed development a ‘Legoland’ and felt residents were being undermined by data centre approvals.
“We have seen time and time again, the State Government have completely steamrolled us, they have undermined us, they have treated us with complete disregard and contempt and is yet another example of something that even themselves are not aware of the impact it is going to have,” he said.
“We need to be vocal on this, we need to stand with our community, we need a moratorium on this and we need to know exactly the impact it’s going to have, not just locally, but on our environment, on the water, the waste, and make sure we have a sustainable neighbourhood. This is an example of poor planning.
“We owe it to our community in planning this that we don’t just let them build this ‘Legoland’ and let them walk all over us. We need to be vocal on this and make sure this does not happen on our watch without us doing the absolute best we can, and that’s what this motion does.”
Some said there was a need for data centres, but not at the expense of resident concerns. Cr Christine Stow was one, while also saying more information was needed.
“I think there’s not enough information out there for anyone, we don’t know how this is going to impact us, what it’s going to look like,” she said.
“We don’t know what the impact is going to be in terms of water, energy and the waste as Cr McLindon spoke about.
“We need an overarching plan. I don’t deny the fact we need data centres, because we do need them somewhere… maybe just not in South Morang.”
It was a point that was echoed by Cr Chaman Tiwari.
“We recognise that data centres are increasingly important infrastructure, and that they support our digital economy, create investment and can provide employment opportunities, however, a development of this scale must also be considered carefully in the context of the communities it surrounds,” she said.
“For me, the key issue is getting the balance right between economic development and protecting the community amenity. Residents deserve clear information about the potential impacts of the development, particularly in regard to noise, lighting, energy and water use.”
“South Morang is a growing community where families have invested in their homes and their neighbourhood. Any major development must be considered in regard to the existing community.”
Cr Martin Taylor also agreed, saying the lack of consultation was a concern while understanding some benefits.
“I have engaged with the people of South Morang in relation to this matter, and I found it extremely difficult to do that without revealing my personal beliefs in relation to it, and I’m glad this resolution has come to place,” he said.
“I’m in no doubt that we need a form of data centres – my concern is the location, the lack of interaction and the lack of engagement that the developers of these centres have had with the communities to which they have been placed in, in particular, I’m extremely concerned at the lack of engagement with the people of South Morang, and I think it has to stop, and I therefore fully support the motion as presented.”
