The City of Greater Geelong’s CEO has welcomed the state government’s new rules around Data Centres.
Labor has announced new data centres will need to power themselves, protect homes and roads by staying away from residential areas, and pay their way by giving back to the community.
The government says the centres support banking, healthcare, transport and emergency services.
There is already a proposal for a data centre in Lovely Banks.
Council CEO Alie Wastie said the rules were a win for the community.
“We needed to find a pathway through the contentious debate about the location of data centres and today’s announcement by the State Government provides common sense guardrails that will help provide a clearer way forward,” Ms Wastie said.
“Communities have been rightly asking a simple question: data centres will generate enormous value for big tech companies, but what’s in it for us?
“The old rules were not fit or purpose and failed to protect the liveability of communities and there was nothing to force data centre developers to deliver lasting benefits to the communities hosting them.
“It is good to see the State Government has listened and this re-set should help bring some much-needed calm the debate in this critical area.”
