Perth councils seek state guidance on data center applications amid planning gaps

A move by a councillor in Perth's northern suburbs to ban data centers entirely has failed, but the debate has underscored the urgent need for clearer state-level guidelines on the rapidly expanding sector. Councillor Suzanne Migdale proposed that the City of Stirling investigate designating data centers as an 'X-use,' effectively making them ineligible for approval anywhere in the city.

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Research has linked large data centres to community concerns around air quality, noise, water stress and broader public health impacts.

Migdale voiced significant community concerns, citing research linking large data centers to issues such as air quality degradation, noise pollution, substantial water consumption for cooling, and broader public health impacts. She specifically mentioned the noise generated by cooling systems, fans, and backup diesel generators, as well as the air pollution from these generators.

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Many data centres use large volumes of water for cooling. The cooling systems, the fans and backup diesel generators can create noise, and backup generators also contribute to air pollution.

Despite the motion's failure, planning experts acknowledge the challenges councils face. Belinda Moharich, a planning lawyer and town planner, explained that data centers are not a defined land use in Western Australia's planning schemes. This forces councils to either try and fit them into existing categories like warehouses or industrial uses, or consider them as 'uses not listed,' which could allow them in any zone.

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one of the challenges councils faced when asked to decide on planning applications for data centres was that they were not a defined use of land in any planning scheme in Western Australia.

Moharich suggested that clear state government regulations are necessary for assessing planning applications. She noted that data centers vary greatly in size and impact, from small facilities within buildings to vast campuses. Terresa Lynes, mayor of Gosnells and chair of the National Growth Areas Alliance, added that her council approved a significant $415 million, 200-megawatt data center project last year, which has caused community unease. She believes clearer guidance would greatly assist local governments in managing this emerging land use.

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I think there is a need for some more certainty in approach and I don't think blanket bans are the answer.