Julius Avenue Data Centre

This plan destroys too many trees, especially mature trees next to a National Park. These are necessary for native wildlife as a corridor in case of fire or other needs like food and nesting hollows which take a long time to become suitable. They are needed for air quality and coolness in summer , the roots bind the soil to prevent landslips. A better plan that protects most of the trees is needed.

Julius Avenue Data Centre
Submission SUB-92104207

I am wholly opposed to the clearing of bushland to make way for a data centre. This particular site is an important buffer between urban development and Lane Cove National Park. Furthermore, clearing over 500 trees and replacing them with new plantings elsewhere does nothing to maintain the local biodiversity that currently lives on this piece of land.

I do NOT support the proposal for the Julius Avenue Data Centre.
In its present form, the proposal calls for the removal of 509 trees.
These trees are next to the Lane Cove National Park and provide a vital habitat corridor between the National Park and the Great North Walk. The removal of this many trees and understorey will remove important animal habitat.
Of concern is the enormous amount of water required by the data centre to run. Considering the number of apartment blocks being built in the area, there is a concern water supply to residents could be impacted.
My understanding is there is no plan as to how the data centre will source its energy. Will it be taken from the grid or will it be powered by renewable energy?
There is an issue with the use of offsets to justify the removal of trees. Studies have shown that this way of justifying such projects is flawed and open to abuse.

I have just recently become aware of a massive $1.5+ billion development for a Data Centre in Julius Avenue that will result in the removal of over 500 trees in the TEC Sydney Coastal Enriched Sandstone Forest right on the boundary of Lane Cove NP adjacent to the Great North Walk. I wish to strongly object to this proposal due to the loss of trees and habitat which is unacceptable. With so much fragmentation of our bushland corridors it is imperative to protect the areas we still have. Has serious consideration been given to other possible development areas with less conservation value?

I am a long term member of the Ryde Hunters Hill Flora & Fauna Preservation Society (RHHF&FPS) and I hold a BA (Economics) and a Graduate Diploma (Environmental Studies) from Macquarie University.
The main objective of the RHHF&FPS is the protection of our natural heritage. The Society is a local environment group established 59 years ago and has been active in protecting our natural heritage
I do not support the proposed data centre development in its present form
The planning documents reveal that the development will result in the removal of 509 trees (Page 9 of EIS - Julius Avenue Data Centre 240625). These are part of the important habitat corridor immediately next to Lane Cove National Park and the Great North Walk near Fairyland.
It is the habitat for several threatened species, namely the Large-eared Pied Bat Chalinolobus dwyeri, Little Bent-winged Bat Miniopterus australis and Large Bent-winged Bat Miniopterus orianae oceanensis, and four threatened plant species, being Darwinia biflora, Deyeuxia appressa, Hibbertia spanantha and Rhizanthella slateri.
The documents for the development state that the loss of these will be subject to the biodiversity offsets scheme. The proposed development is another example of incremental deterioration of biodiversity which has been criticised in the report by Professor Graeme Samuel on the review of the Environmental Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act and biodiversity offsets have not worked in maintaining biodiversity.
The natural area became valuable after bushfires in the Lane Cove River Valley in January 1994, when a population of swamp wallabies survived by following this corridor and now populate bushland areas along the Lane Cove River at least as far as the Field of Mars Reserve. Removal of the number of trees and their understorey as proposed in the plan will effectively remove important animal habitat.
Another issue is the impact on the local environment. Not adequately considered in the proposal is that the data centre will impact local climate and resources, as cooling water is used and released to the atmosphere, thus creating a localised heat island with raised humidity. It will therefore change the local natural environment and so lose the current nature of the natural area.
The documents supporting the development proposal do not explain in detail how such impacts will be mitigated and provide only general statements to the effect that efforts will be made about the environmental impacts
The Society was successful i its representations made concerning proposals for the re-development of Ivanhoe Estate at Macquarie Park (SSD 8707). That proposal was for the construction of more than 3000 residences and associated community facilities which would have had a serious impact on the Sydney Turpentine and Iron Bark Forest (SFIT) on the site. SFIT is a critically endangered ecological community and biodiversity offsets were proposed for the loss of the SFIT.
Following extensive representations by the Society the plans for the site were changed and the SFIT was saved. This demonstrates that with better planning our natural heritage can be saved and biodiversity maintained.

I urge that the current development application for the data centre at Julius Avenue be rejected on the basis of the detrimental impact on our natural heritage and biodiversity and on the environment more widely
Francis Breen
0478 882716

As someone who has spent a large number of years walking the bush adjacent to the Lane Cove river, and observed the wildlife that manage to survive in that small pocket of undisturbed Sydney, I find it hard to wonder what the impact will be on species in that already narrow corridor along the river.

A secondary concern is the amount of benefit to the local area. As part of my work, I frequently attend datacentres, and are familiar with their purpose and workings. The reality is they employ few people, and consume vast amounts of utility resources. They are essentially enormous fortified cement cubes.

Pristine Sydney bushland is just not the right place for such a facility.

I object to this proposal for the Julius Avenue Data Centre

In its present form, this plan will result in the removal of 509 trees (Page 9 of the EIS - Julius Avenue Data Centre 240625). These trees are an incredibly important part of the habitat corridor right adjacent to Lane Cove National Park and the Great North Walk near Fairyland. Following the bushfires in the Lane Cover River Valley in January 1994 a population of swamp wallabies survived by following this corridor and now populate bushland areas along the Lane Cove River as far as the Field of Mars Reserve. The retention of these trees is vital for the provision of understory and animal habitat.
This cooling tower would create a localized heat island, and a data center adjacent to natural bushland would change the local natural environment, involving loss of habitat for threatened species.
The documents prepared for the development state that the loss of these will be subject to the biodiversity offsets scheme. the proposed development is yet another example of incremental deterioration of biodiversity which has been criticized by the Samuels report on the review of the Environmental Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act and biodiversity offsets have not worked in maintaining biodiversity.

For all these reasons I strongly object to this proposal and request a more environmentally sensitive reconsideration.

thank you

Margaret Hughes

0419 991 273
The documents supporting the development proposal do not explain in detail how these impacts will be mitigated and provide only general statements to the effect that efforts will be made about the environmental impacts.

Don't do it

The proposed Data Centre will involve the destruction of native habitat unique to the area. The idea that planting 750 trees elsewhere is a sufficient replacement for the destruction of our unique wildlife makes no sense and should not be seriously considered. Our bushland is unique and the animals and plant life that inhabit it are not as expendable as we think. If we consider these kinds of proposals we might end up living in an Australia without any birds or certain plants and animals and frankly that's not the Australia I want to live in. Thank you

The EIS Biodiversity Development Assessment Report is significantly flawed as there is no assessment on amphibians that could be found in the site even though it acknowledges there is a artificial dam on site. We have learnt that species such as green and golden bell frogs thrive in artificial dams. The area beyond the dam i.e watercourses would be very suitable for species such red crown toadlets. As the site is connected to national park land there is a high likelihood that significant species could occupy or use the site. Therefore a much more thorough investigation through extensive flora and fauna sampling must be conducted before mitigation can be developed or design of the development is finalised. This land needs to be thoroughly treated for the potential rich biodiversity values it is likely to hold.

I object to this proposal on the basis of excessive loss of native bushland and excessive fire risk both of which should be able to be mitigated by redesign
While the majority of the Data Centre proper is on the disturbed part of the site, the STSS in particular is located in the relatively undisturbed bushland to the south of the site, land which forms a valuable buffer to the LCNP in terms of preventing weed migration and biodiversity maintenance. The overall need to clear over 500 trees appears unjustified, given that ~one half of these trees are in the undisturbed area.
What is also very concerning is that the location of the STSS and the Data Centres’ 24 hr emergency generation are proposed be located close to bushland and thus at highest risk from bushfires. The fact that there may be a suitable (proposed) water main between the two does not necessarily mean that this will be useful in the event of a major bushfire, of which there have been two in last 25 years. Viz firefighters may be prioritised elsewhere to protect life over property. Given the essential power needs of the Centre this seems a major oversight. Similarly the location of the diesel generators on the bush side of the facility seem illogical in terms of the highest fire risk.
The pollution risk from diesel spill during fuel delivery and or massive failure does not appear to have been addressed.
The HV supply to the SSTA does not appear to be shown; whether there will be additional loss of bushland and clearing associated with new HV power lines should be addressed and assessed.
For a major facility future resilience and future proofing should also be considered..for example we know that the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as bushfires will occur. Thus current codes are unlikely to be suitable in the futre. It is very possible that the 20m fire buffer to create a defendable site may be increased in the future so if this occurs even more bushland clearing may be required, resulting in even more tree loss. And as noted above the location of essential STSS and diesel back up in the location of highest risk is illogical.
In summary:
Proposal should be reviewed and redesigned if possible
-to retain as much of undisturbed bushland as possible to reduce loss of native trees and fauna that forma critical buffe to LCNP
-reduce fire risk to essential facility power (STSS and emergency generation/ diesel storage)
-reduce need for future bushland clearing to increase fire defensive barrier
More information provided related to
-risk/management of diesel fuel spill during delivery and in storage
-STSS HV supply line impacts

I object to the 509 trees that will be cut down to develop this site
Land clearing in Australia is one of the main contributors to ecological degradation. As this development abutts the Lane Cove National Park I think the loss of so many trees should be minimalsed
I also think that buying offsets is a total copy out
Please try and save as much of the original bush as possible
Thank you
Lyn

I strongly object to the proposal to clear native bushland on Julius Avenue, North Ryde, for the construction of a data centre.
This land functions as a critical biodiversity corridor between Lane Cove National Park and surrounding industrial areas, providing habitat for native flora and fauna.
Its destruction would conflict with the objectives of the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and the principles of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, which require protection of ecological values and sustainable land use.
The proposal also contradicts government commitments to reducing urban heat and preserving green infrastructure.
With an abundance of vacant and underutilised commercial sites across Sydney suitable for adaptive reuse, there is no justification for clearing irreplaceable bushland. I urge the government to reject this development and ensure compliance with environmental obligations by safeguarding this land for future generations.
Thank you.

I know this Area well and for years every time I cross the river on Epping Rd I habitually gain enormous psychological pleasure from the Natural Bush clad landscape that is such a significantat feature of the LaneCove River on both sides. Bushland ecosystems for wildlife wihin the urban Area is in a critical state. It valued by people but not by the NSW Government. it is irreplaceable.

Subject: Submission Opposing Julius Avenue Data Centre (SSD‑80018208) — City of Ryde

Executive Summary:
The proposed six‑storey, 170 MW Julius Avenue Data Centre in the City of Ryde would clear a critical riparian bushland buffer between the Parramatta River and Lane Cove National Park, directly undermining NSW’s 40 % urban canopy target, liveable cities agenda, and biodiversity protections. The site is also mapped as bushfire‑prone land, introducing unacceptable safety, operational, and infrastructure risks for a facility of this scale. This high‑load industrial use is better suited to existing infrastructure‑ready industrial precincts such as Eastern Creek, Silverwater, or the Aerotropolis tech hubs — or to regional NSW locations with direct access to abundant, low‑cost renewable energy in designated Renewable Energy Zones (REZs). Fibre connectivity means data centres can be constructed elsewhere outside the metropolitan area. Approving this project here would set a damaging precedent, especially given the pipeline of multiple large‑scale data centre proposals in the Ryde–Macquarie Park corridor, compounding biodiversity loss, urban heat, and infrastructure strain. It does nothing to deliver more residential housing or significant jobs.

Introduction

I write to formally object to the Julius Avenue Data Centre proposal (SSD‑80018208) currently on public exhibition via the NSW Planning Portal. The project involves the construction and 24/7 operation of a six‑storey facility with 12 data halls, diesel storage, back‑up generators, a sub‑transmission switching station, and a new access road — with a projected power demand of up to 170 MW.

The proposed site is an ecologically significant bushland buffer between the Parramatta River and Lane Cove National Park. This corridor provides essential biodiversity connectivity, riparian protection, and natural urban cooling — all of which would be irreversibly compromised. It is also designated bushfire‑prone land, meaning the development would be subject to elevated ignition risk, ember attack, and evacuation constraints, particularly given the presence of large diesel fuel stores and critical electrical infrastructure.

1. Conflict with NSW Environmental, Safety, and Urban Liveability Policies
- Tree Canopy Coverage Target: The NSW Government’s Greener Neighbourhoods program and Premier’s Priorities set a 40 % urban tree canopy target for metropolitan areas to reduce heat and improve liveability. Clearing mature canopy in this location will directly reduce coverage in the City of Ryde LGA, undermining progress toward this legislated goal.
- Liveable Cities Agenda: The Greater Sydney Region Plan and North District Plan emphasise the retention and expansion of green infrastructure, biodiversity corridors, and riparian buffers.
- Bushfire Planning Principles: NSW bushfire policy discourages siting critical infrastructure in bushfire‑prone areas where evacuation, asset protection zones, and firefighting access are constrained. The combination of high‑voltage equipment, backup diesel generation, and bushland interface presents unacceptable operational and safety risks.
- Biodiversity Conservation: The proposal bisects a continuous ecological corridor linking Lane Cove National Park to the Parramatta River, contradicting commitments under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation).

2. Unsuitable Infrastructure Footprint in a Sensitive, Hazard‑Exposed Area
- Electricity Demand: A facility of 170 MW represents one of the largest single‑site loads in the state, equivalent to powering 50,000+ homes. Locating such demand in bushland increases the need for new transmission, grid losses, and bushfire risk to supply lines.
- Carbon Emissions: Power Purchase Agreements may address Net Zero, but they do not address requirements to meet Real Zero, where power usage and generation need to be aligned in time and quantity, or mediated with energy storage.
- Cooling Water Requirements: Significant volumes of cooling water — or energy‑intensive alternatives — would be required, with risk of ecological harm in a riparian zone.
- Fibre Communications Infrastructure: It is unclear whether the site has dense, redundant fibre backhaul, and if not, may requiring disruptive trenching through sensitive areas.

3. Cumulative Impact of the Data Centre Pipeline
The Julius Avenue proposal is part of a wider, uncoordinated surge in data centre development in the Ryde–Macquarie Park corridor. According to the proponent’s EIS (Table 5, Section 2.4), there are five data centre other projects being considered.

Existing data centres in and near to the corridor include:
- Macquarie Park: Digital Reality, SYD12, 80MW
- Macquarie Park: NextDC S1, 16MW
- Macquarie Park: NextDC S2, 30MW
- Macquare Park: Macquarie IC2+IC3 East+IC3 Super West, 63MW
- Macquare Park: AtosGroup
- Artarmon: NextDC S3, 80MW
- Artarmon: NextDC S6, 13.5MW
- St Leonards: InteractiveDC,
- Lane Cove West: Airtrunk SYD2, 120MW

Demand is being generated by AI, and existing facilities will need to be upgraded to support the requirements for liquid cooling, with the limiting factor being heat exchanges on the roof. Aside from generating more urban heat, if upgrades to existing data centres are undertaken, then this will also result in higher IT densities and reduced floor space for the processing power, which can be used to accommodate any additional requirements. These factors need to be considered within a broader strategy.

Recent reporting in the AFR on May 28 indicated that the NSW State Government was considering a ban on Macquarie Park as a zone for data centres: ‘No data centre strategy’: Industry slams NSW’s Macquarie Park ban https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/news/no-data-centre-strategy-industry-slams-nsws-macquarie-park-ban-2-1384780/

As noted in the AFR on May 28, AEMO warned it lacks visibility over the energy use of data centres and requires powers to help avoid cascading failures throughout the system like one that occurred in the United States earlier last year.

Without strategic planning, this concentration will:
- Intensify the urban heat island effect
- Compound grid, water, and emergency services strain
- Erode biodiversity and riparian buffers
- Increase cumulative bushfire exposure for critical infrastructure
- Permanently alter the liveability and amenity of surrounding communities
- Do nothing to increase housing supply, in fact place additional demand on stretched resources

Various urban cities have placed bans on data centres in metropolitan areas, including Hume City (Melbourne, Australia), Amsterdam & Haarlemmermeer (Netherlands), Dublin (Ireland), Singapore.

4. Availability of Alternative, More Appropriate Locations — Including Regional NSW Renewable Hubs
Sydney Metro Infrastructure‑Ready Sites
- Eastern Creek, Silverwater, Alexandria
- Western Sydney Aerotropolis technology precincts
Regional NSW Renewable‑Powered Options
- Central‑West Orana REZ (e.g., Dubbo region) — large‑scale solar and wind, new transmission links
- New England REZ (Tamworth / Armidale) — wind, solar, cool climate for efficient PUE
- South‑West REZ (Wagga Wagga region) — industrial land near renewable generation
- North Coast Corridor (Port Macquarie / Coffs Harbour) — access to REZ, NBN fibre, coastal cooling advantages
- Lithgow / Central Tablelands — existing substation capacity, transitioning from fossil to renewable supply

Advantages of regional siting include:
- Direct access to low‑cost, high‑volume renewable power
- No urban canopy loss and reduced heat island effect
- Avoidance of biodiversity corridors and riparian buffers
- Leveraging planned REZ transmission upgrades rather than duplicating infrastructure in sensitive areas
- Supporting regional economic development, consistent with NSW’s Regional Development Framework

5. Cumulative Urban Heat, Amenity, and Hazard Impacts
Replacing high‑canopy bushland with a large‑scale industrial structure will intensify heat loads in a city already struggling with rising summer temperatures, counteracting state heat‑mitigation strategies. The bushfire‑prone status of the site compounds these impacts by increasing hazard exposure for both the facility and surrounding communities.

In light of the above, I urge the NSW Government to:
- Reject the Julius Avenue Data Centre proposal in its current location.
- Direct the proponent to investigate infrastructure‑ready industrial precincts and regional renewable‑powered sites.
- Establish a coordinated planning framework for the cumulative data centre pipeline in the Ryde–Macquarie Park-Artarmon corridor.
- Strengthen statutory protection of riparian, bushfire‑prone, and national park buffer zones against incompatible industrial use.

Preserving this corridor is consistent with NSW’s environmental commitments, liveable cities principles, and the state’s ambition to lead in sustainable digital infrastructure. Approving the Julius Avenue Data Centre in this location would set a precedent at odds with all three.

Access to data centres via fibre in sites outside the metropolitan area with cheaper power and property should be more cost effective than in built up metropolitan areas. The superannuation funds could make the additional investments in required infrastructure. This may even provide opportunities for new industry to grow as well. Utilities stinging retail consumers to pay for investment in data centres is unacceptable.

I welcome the opportunity to engage further or contribute to policy discussions on sustainable data centre siting.

Yours sincerely,
Nick.

Please refer to my attached objection letter.

The Ryde – Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society is a local environment group established 59 years ago. The aims and objectives of the Society include-
· Respect for the land and its flora and fauna and original custodians:
· The promotion of ecologically sustainable land use and development at the local, state, national and international levels.
· Advocating measures at the local, state, national and international level necessary to safeguard the environment from all forms of pollution to ensure, clean air, clean water and a healthy environment and to address climate change.
Our Society does NOT support the proposed data centre development in its present form.
The planning document reveals that the development will result in the removal of 509 trees (Page 9 of EIS - Julius Avenue Data Centre 240625). These are part of the important habitat corridor right next to Lane Cove National Park and the Great North Walk near Fairyland.
It is the habitat for several threatened species, namely the Large-eared Pied Bat Chalinolobus dwyeri, Little Bent-winged Bat Miniopterus australis and Large Bent-winged Bat Miniopterus orianae oceanensis, and four threatened plant species, being Darwinia biflora, Deyeuxia appressa, Hibbertia spanantha and Rhizanthella slateri.
The documents for the development state that the loss of these will be subject to the biodiversity offsets scheme. The proposed development is another example of incremental deterioration of biodiversity which has been criticised by the Samuels report on the review of the Environmental Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act and biodiversity offsets have not worked in maintaining biodiversity.
The natural area became valuable after bushfires in the Lane Cove River Valley in January 1994, when a population of swamp wallabies survived by following this corridor and now populate bushland areas along the Lane Cove River at least as far as the Field of Mars Reserve. Removal of the number of trees and their understorey as proposed in the plan will effectively remove important animal habitat.
Another issue is the impact on the local environment. Not adequately considered in the proposal is that the data centre will impact local climate and resources, as cooling water is used and released to the atmosphere, thus creating a localised heat island with raised humidity. It will therefore change the local natural environment and so lose the current nature of the natural area.
The documents supporting the development proposal do not explain in detail how these impacts will be mitigated and provide only general statements to the effect that efforts will be made about the environmental impacts.
The development is also contrary to the City of Ryde Council’s recently revised Urban Forest Strategy which states, “… the urban forest’s trees and other vegetation provide a multitude of social, cultural, economic, and environmental benefits, including improved health (from shade, improved air quality and urban heat mitigation), enhanced landscape amenity and property values, protection of biodiversity and heritage values and improved well‐being… Tree removals - whether on private or public land ‐ reduce the tree canopy and the benefits of the urban forest. This is so even if removed trees are replaced due to the length of time to maturity and benefits derived from replacement trees… In the development application context, Council’s approach is to foster an ethos that views trees as development assets and opportunities with significant retention values…”

The site is unsuitable because of its environmental impact and the cumulative load it is likely to place on the provision of basic services required by the Macquarie Park region and the whole of Sydney, namely electricity and water supply.

Re: Objection to SSD-80018208 / Julius Avenue Data Centre development, North Ryde
From: Willoughby Environmental Protection Association
Date: 27 August 2025
As a local community group dedicated to the care and protection of Sydney’s unique urban bushland and wildlife, The Willoughby Environmental Protection Association (WEPA) emphatically objects to the proposed construction of a data centre and new road through the bushland site in Julius Avenue, North Ryde. The site sits within Lane Cove National Park, an area mapped as a Threatened Ecological Community, Coastal Enriched Sandstone Moist Forest, and as such must be preserved and protected.
We are greatly concerned that the project involves the removal of 509 mature habitat trees, and the potential damage to surrounding bushland and the Lane Cover River through the excavation and construction process. We also have concerns about the impact of ongoing data centre operations on native species living and moving through this critical wildlife corridor.
We urge the NSW Government to consider the extensive environmental harm that will result from this project and recommend relocation, distancing the data centre from sensitive native bushland.
WEPA strongly objects to the Julius Avenue Data Centre proposal based on –

1. Inadequate assessment by the developer
A demonstration of avoidance of negative biodiversity impacts is the fundamental first step in the project approval process, under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Before considering offsets, developers must demonstrate that they have taken all reasonable steps to avoid harm to biodiversity values and identify conservation measures. The Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) provided by SLR Consulting does not indicate any attempt by the developer to avoid impacts to native vegetation and threatened species.

2. Impact of build on tree canopy & biodiversity
The proposed removal of 509 mature trees from a Threatened Ecological Community is unacceptable. It would result in a significant loss of habitat for protected native species already struggling to survive in a hostile urban environment. The considerable narrowing of an important wildlife corridor along the river foreshore presents a real threat to wildlife safety. The high number of tree removals also adds to the broader environmental burden by increasing the urban heat load, impacting human health and wildlife health and safety.

Acknowledging the benefits of a healthy canopy, the NSW Government has committed to increase Greater Sydney’s tree canopy to 40% by 2036. State Government mapping by ArborCarbon in 2022 indicates that we are barely halfway to this target – measuring tree canopy across Greater Sydney at just 21.7%. Sydney’s Northern regions experienced the greatest loss of coverage according to this scientific study. The Ryde LGA lost almost 8% compared to 2019, Lane Cove -6% and Willoughby -5%. Apart from the critical role tree cover provides for wildlife and biodiversity, there are also numerous human health benefits delivered through cooler temperatures and clean air. It is imperative that established, high-value urban tree cover is protected.
We are particularly concerned about the reduction of the vital foreshore habitat corridor and the loss of many established tree hollows. These are vital for nesting and species survival and take many decades to form. The Lane Cove National Park is home to at least 14 threatened or vulnerable species, which will be put at greater risk by tree removals and building activity.
Another major concern is the loss of significant rocky outcrop and cave formations. These are known to provide critical habitat for three threatened species of microbats, including -
• Large-eared Pied Bat – listed as Endangered in NSW
• Large Bent-wing Bat – listed as Vulnerable in NSW
• Little Bent-winged Bat – listed as Vulnerable in NSW
The biodiversity offset system, or species credits payment to permit adverse impacts to sensitive ecological areas and threatened species, is problematic for many reasons, including the fact that recent inquiries found these to be facilitating a state of decline for NSW biodiversity and a net loss to nature. The 2024 State of the Environment NSW report highlighted these failures, with an additional 18 species added to the threatened species list since December 2020, and a prediction that only half of those listed are likely to survive the next century. In November last year the NSW parliament made a commitment to deliver a net positive for nature. In this particular instance, the threatened bat species depend upon unique types of habitat - caves and rocky outcrops that cannot be replaced by planting trees elsewhere. The NSW Government must adhere to their commitment and ensure the protection of these species by safeguarding habitat critical to their survival.

3. Operational impacts
Beyond the building process, which presents a high pollution risk to surrounding bushland, streams and the Lane Cove River, consideration must be given to the fact that data centre operations create ongoing forms of pollution. The 24/7 operation will generate light and noise pollution, and heat from high-powered computing machines. Locating a data centre in close proximity to sensitive wildlife habitat should not occur for numerous ecological reasons, including -
• The Urban heat island effect will be intensified. Ongoing data centre operations will add to the increased heat caused by the canopy reduction. Recognised expert in urban heat Professor Sebastian Pfautsch recently conducted a heat study across the Willoughby LGA, including the site of one of Sydney’s most significant tree vandalism events at HD Robb Reserve in Castle Cove, where 260 trees were killed in bushland reserve in 2023. Pfautsch warned of the detrimental ripple effects of temperature shifts on surrounding bushland, impacting insect life and biodiversity due to hotter days and cooler nights in the affected area. The additional heat generated by data centre operations will exacerbate the risk to wildlife, and human health.
• Harmful artificial light generated by the 24/7 operation will have a negative impact on wildlife. Unnatural light spilling into the surrounding bushland will be detrimental to native wildlife. Natural habitats become unsuitable, and species exhibit numerous physiological and behavioural changes, impacting feeding, breeding, immunity, flowering, and spawning. Night light is beneficial to invasive predators like foxes and cats and, when combined with a diminished foreshore corridor and connectivity, will further increase the risk to wildlife. These effects can threaten biodiversity and reverberate through ecosystems. In addition to excessive light, wildlife will be disturbed by noise pollution created by generators, coolers, server halls and other operational aspects of the 24/7 facility.
• Wildlife risk of injury and death through car movements and diminished habitat corridor. This 24/7 facility, which includes parking for 115 cars, raises concerns over the impact of increased car movements in a wildlife-rich zone. It is likely to result in wildlife strikes, injuries, and fatalities. Swamp wallaby, short-beaked echidna, long-nosed bandicoot, lace monitor lizards and python are among the protected species that reside within LCNP and will be vulnerable to cars. This threat is increased by a reduction in the protective corridor available to wildlife.

4. Negative impact on the amenity and experience of recreational users of Sydney’s iconic Great North Walking Track
This facility will be encroaching on one of Sydney’s most popular shared public recreation spaces. As Sydney’s population grows and high-density housing increases, it is critical that the State Government preserves existing outdoor recreation spaces in Sydney, particularly those that provide an opportunity to connect with nature. The Great North Walking Track is a prized public asset, affording invaluable physical and emotional wellbeing benefits to residents and visitors.
The proposal from ISPT to place a data centre adjacent to Lane Cove National Park, an extremely valuable community and biodiversity asset, is highly flawed. WEPA urges the NSW Government to reconsider the location of this project and find an alternative that results in less harm to the natural environment. At the very least a redesign should be required to preserve and protect the majority of the unique and vulnerable habitat on this site.

Hello,

I would like to object to the Julius Avenue Centre proposal.

I volunteer for Bushcare at Lane Cove National Park most weeks to help conserve the beautiful environment that we are lucky to have in Australia, building a data centre would cause unwanted pollution and effect the environment people should be protecting as much as possible, not harming.

I strongly urge this project be reconsidered so future generations can continue protecting and experiencing the bush and biodiversity of nature in this area that hopefully will survive for a long time to come.