Cessnock Council votes to object to $3.7b data centre
Council voted unanimously against AirTrunk's 540-megawatt data centre on a former smelter site.
Cessnock City Council will lodge a formal objection to the proposed $3.7 billion facility at Loxford, near Kurri Kurri. Councillors backed the motion on Wednesday, citing 24-hour noise from cooling fans and heavy demands on power and water supplies.
The two-storey centre would run constantly to prevent server overheating, creating a low-frequency hum. Council has also asked Canberra to freeze all new data centre approvals until federal rules are in place.
AirTrunk, owned by a consortium led by Blackstone, says the facility would create more than 350 ongoing jobs and use air cooling with minimal water.
- $3.7 billion
- Project cost
- 540 megawatt
- Power capacity
- More than 350 ongoing
- Claimed jobs
- November 11
- Submission deadline
Why it mattersThe decision shows growing tension between major infrastructure projects and regional communities concerned about power, water, and environmental impact.
AustraliaAustralia is planning dozens of new data centres to meet computing demand, and local community opposition may slow or reshape where they are built.
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