Julius Avenue Data Centre

Having now done further reading of the proposal, I wish to lodge additional comments regards objection to the proposal as it stands.
You may not be aware of the history of the site development and contions that were placed on CSIRO through the "Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works report
relating to the proposed
CSIRO DIVISION OF BUILDING
CONSTRUCTION AND ENGINEERING
DEVELOPMENT WORKS AT
RIVERSIDE CORPORATE PARK,
NORTH RYDE, NSW
(Ninth Report of 1999)
https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Completed_Inquiries/pwc/northrydeblg/ncpindex
The following section on environmental issues is significant:
Issues
Environmental Impact
73. When the CSIRO first proposed its redevelopment of North Ryde, it sought
an environmental clearance for its plans from the then Department of Arts,
Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories (DASETT), in accordance
with the requirements of the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposal) Act
1974. DASETT determined that neither a public environment report nor an
environmental impact statement was required to satisfy the objects of the Act,
but recommended that the CSIRO consult with its own Division of Wildlife
and Ecology and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service regarding the
protection of native fauna.22
18 CSIRO, Transcript of Evidence, p. 263.
19 CSIRO, Transcript of Evidence, p. 264.
20 CSIRO, Transcript of Evidence, p. 267.
21 CSIRO, Transcript of Evidence, p. 266.
22 Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, Report relating to the CSIRO
Redevelopment: North Ryde, NSW. AGPS, Canberra, 1992, p. 26.
74. In December 1992, the CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology released a
report on the flora, fauna and soils at the proposed redevelopment site in
North Ryde which concluded that redevelopment without posing a threat to
flora and fauna was possible '…provided that detailed work and landscape
plans are developed and adhered to and that there is adequate on-ground
supervision during construction work to avoid accidental or incidental
impacts on vegetation and isolated trees'.23 The report also cautioned that the
largest remaining patch of natural vegetation in the southeast corner of the
site should be retained in an undeveloped state.
75. The CSIRO's submission to the Committee identified the major
environmental issues on the site as being:
…the protection of the remnant bushland, and the topography of the
site on its eastern and southeastern sides where it slopes towards the
Lane Cove River, having implications for run-off and sedimentation,
water quality management, landscape and habitat. 24
76. The CSIRO does not expect its proposed development to impact adversely on
the environment, but nevertheless will be monitoring impacts on an ongoing
basis and continuing to consult and liaise with State Government authorities
on these matters. CSIRO's submission notes that it has been consulting with
the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) on matters concerned with
waste generation, plant noise and facility emissions. Discussions with Sydney
Water have centred on trade waste and sewerage connections.25 The
Committee is aware that the CSIRO is currently preparing, in consultation
with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, an environmental
management plan specific to this project.26 The comprehensive plan will
address, in particular, issues of water run-off and control which were raised
by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in a submission on this
Inquiry.27 The Committee has been advised that the management plan will be
completed by October 1999.
77. The CSIRO's submission to the Committee identified the following 'specific
actions' which are to be implemented as part of the proposed development:28
„ appropriate tree planting and landscaping adjacent to the facilities;
23 Doherty, M.D., Braithwaite, L.W., and Tongway, D.J., Proposed Redevelopment of CSIRO Property
at North Ryde, Sydney: Survey of Flora, Terrestrial Vertebrate Fauna and Soils. CSIRO Division of
Wildlife and Ecology, December, 1992, p. 25.
24 CSIRO, Submission, p. 12.
25 Ibid., pp. 12–13.
26 CSIRO, Transcript of Evidence, p. 255.
27 NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Submission, p. 2.
28 CSIRO, Submission, p. 13.
„ filtering and control of all stormwater run-off to prevent any potential
pollutants from reaching the Lane Cove River;
„ sound attenuation and vibration isolation within the new facilities to
maintain acceptable noise and vibration limits on the site;
„ maintenance of air quality at the site and surrounding areas in
accordance with best management practices;
„ dilution and treatment of non toxic, liquid waste prior to discharge to
sewer;
„ collection of any wastes such as solvents, potentially flammable liquids,
oils and toxic liquids at the point of use in waste containers. The
containers will be collected for disposal by a licensed industrial waste
collector;
„ storage of hazardous goods, chemicals and gases in accordance with
respective codes; and
„ installation of pollution control equipment to treat and control
emissions arising from research and testing programs.
78. On 12 August 1999 the Committee was advised by the CSIRO29 that the
following additional initiatives would be implemented in the Riverside
Corporate Park development site. Some of the additional measures are
designed to address concerns raised by the Department of Land and Water
Conservation (Sydney/South Coast Region) about soil erosion and sediment
control:30
„ retention of bushland in the southeast corner of the Park adjacent to
Lane Cove National Park as part of the CSIRO's commitment to
minimise loss of remnant vegetation;
„ replacement of trees lost within building lots with suitable canopy
planting;
„ retention, where possible, and replacement of trees along the Delhi and
Epping Road frontages, supplemented with additional buffer planting
of locally indigenous species and native species already existing on the
site;
„ bush regeneration programmes where sewer and stormwater
infrastructure works have affected the remnant natural bush;
29 Mr George Harley, General Manager, CSIRO Corporate Property, letter dated 12 August 1999.
30 Concerns about these had been raised by the Department of Land and Water Conservation –
Sydney/South Coast Region in their Submission, pp1–2.
„ stormwater collection and discharge via sedimentation ponds and a
wetland watercourse to reduce the impact of stormwater which
previously discharged from a piped system overland through the Lane
Cove National Park into the Lane Cove River;
„ replacement of an old sewer pumping station system with a gravity
sewer under Epping Road, significantly reducing the risk of untreated
effluent discharging into Lane Cove River; and
„ landscape maintenance activities to eradicate and control weed
infestation.
Please refer to sections 74 and 75 regarding the retention of the remnant bushland.
It should also be noted that the Ryde Council 1999 State of the Environment noted the following:
Riverside Corporate Park at North Ryde has impacted on bushland, including a protected species, Darwinia biflora. National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) is preparing a general Recovery Plan for all Darwinia biflora in the Sydney area. The North Ryde Residents Group and Ryde-Hunters Hill Flora and Fauna Preservation Society will submit a report to the Parliamentary Standing Committee to recommend preservation of the remaining remnant bushland at Riverside Corporate Park.
It would seem that the developer is either not aware or chose to ignore the above history and intended restrictions on bushland clearing and the impact to a protected plant species.
I also note the lack of reference to the existing Riverside walking track, including the entry next to 14 Julius Ave, amd the interpretive signage that has existed since the early 2000's. Why build mew trails that further remove the remnant bushland, ignoring the existing tracks? I have been unable to find any wildlife studies of the area in the application documents. On recent visits to the site I witnessed wallabies and echidnas?
The placement of the substation and generator facility seems to be an afterthought. Surely this can be i degraded into the site footprint, and negate the significant impact to bushland?
The access road placement seems to be very poor, with significant rock and spol removal, as it cuts through some 30m of elevation?
I include a photo from 2005 that shows the extend of the site clearing as per CSIRO agreement. I also include some of the existing signage.
I do not object to development as such, but it needs to reasonable, and following intent of site usage.
As some background, I am a local resident and worked at the CSIRO site throughout its redevelopment

I I’m writing to object to the plan to remove >500 of mature trees on the property next to the Lane Cove River and replace them with 700 small native trees. This area is one of our region’s most important natural corridors, and removing these trees would seriously harm its biodiversity and ecological health.
Why Mature Trees Matter
The mature trees along the river are vital. They provide shade, nesting hollows, help keep the area cool, and support a wide range of wildlife—including nesting birds, possums, insects, and even the ospreys that live just across the river. Their roots help reduce erosion.
Young trees simply can’t do all this. It takes decades for them to grow and offer the same benefits. Removing the mature trees would leave a big gap in the ecosystem that can’t be quickly fixed.
A Home for Wildlife
The Lane Cove River is a rich and diverse habitat, home to many native and even threatened species, such as the powerful owl. The tall tree canopy helps animals move safely through the area and connects patches of bushland. If these trees are removed, it will break those connections and make it harder for wildlife to survive. It also increases risks from predators, noise, and light.
Problems with the Replacement Plan
Planting small native trees might sound like a good idea, but it doesn’t make up for the loss of mature habitat. Young trees are fragile—they can die from drought, disease, or vandalism, and they need a lot of care to survive. The scale of this tree removal would change the landscape dramatically, and not just in how it looks—it would affect the whole ecosystem.
Please Rethink This
I ask that you reconsider this proposal and look for ways to protect the existing mature trees. They are not just part of the scenery—they are essential to the health of the river and the life it supports.
object to the large number of trees that will be removed from the wildlife corridor adjacent to the river. While the developer is proposing to plant even more trees, the mature canopy is not able to be replaced. The developer should find a way to retain the majority of the mature trees

The Julius Avenue Data Centre proposal has the following negative impacts:
1/Environmental Impacts:
Loss of Vegetation and Habitat: the clearing bushland for a data center destroys native vegetation, including potential habitat for threatened species. This can disrupt local ecosystems and reduce biodiversity.
2/Excess Water Usage and Wastewater:
Data centers require significant amounts of water for cooling, which can strain local water resources, especially in areas with limited water availability. The disposal of wastewater, potentially containing contaminants, also poses risks to waterways.
3/Noise and Light Pollution:
Data centers can generate noise from cooling systems and backup generators, and light pollution can disrupt nocturnal wildlife and affect the surrounding environment.
4/Contamination Risks:
There's a risk of soil and groundwater contamination from accidental spills of chemicals or fuel used in the data center.
5/Increased Traffic and Congestion:
Construction and operation of a data center can lead to increased traffic, impacting local roads and potentially causing congestion. That area is already congested with light industrial traffic.
6/Community and Planning Concerns:
Lack of Consultation: There has been insufficient consultation with the local community and environmental groups can lead to a lack of transparency and public trust.
7/Overdevelopment:
Data centers can be large structures, and their placement in bushland areas can be perceived as overdevelopment, disrupting the natural landscape and character of the area.
8/Future-proofing:
There should be consideration of the data center's long-term impact, including future-proofing for repurposing or site remediation in case of redundancy.
9/Inadequate Screening and Landscaping:
The development lacks sufficient screening and landscaping to minimize visual impact and protect the surrounding bushland. It remains an eyesore for decades to come, destroying agricultural and natural habitat.

I am writing to formally lodge my submission in response to the proposed Julius Avenue Data Centre development. As a long-term resident of the area and a regular user of Lane Cove National Park, I am deeply concerned about the environmental, cultural, and community impacts of this project.

The proposal involves large-scale vegetation clearing, extensive diesel generator infrastructure, and proximity to ecologically sensitive bushland and heritage sites. In my view, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) fails to adequately justify the project’s need, assess its cumulative impacts, or propose enforceable mitigation measures.

My submission outlines specific concerns across biodiversity, air quality, noise, cultural heritage, and planning justification. For each issue, I have included “Matters Raised” and “Comments/Requests” to assist the Department in its assessment.

I respectfully urge the Department to reject the proposal in its current form and require a significantly revised application that prioritizes ecological preservation, strategic planning alignment, and genuine community engagement.

The size of the construction footprint and the environmental destruction posed by the Project is excessive and objected to strongly.
An extension of exhibition time is requested.
An alternative - substantially smaller footprint proposal is requested.
Please note this Objection to the Data Centre proposal in it current form and scale.

Thank you for the opportunity to make a submission regarding the data centre proposed within an area containing sensitive habitat and bushland and abutting to the important Lane Cove River habitat corridor. This development should be stopped or considerably reduced in size and scope to minimize its impacts.

This development needs to take into account the threatened flora and fauna and minimize its impact. Of importance is the obvious lack of concern and lack of measures to minimize the impacts on the surrounding sensitive areas.

This proposal will cause a significant loss of habitat and loss of important rocky outcrops and cave habitat areas for threatened microbats - Large Bent-wing Bats, Little Bent-winged Bats
and Large-eared Pied Bats.

There are threatened plant species in this area including Darwinia biflora, Deyeuxia appressa, Hibbertia spanantha and Rhizanthella slateri which are irreplaceable. There will be flow on impacts to a significant heritage area – Fairyland and Lane Cove National Park and habitat corridor. Also note the impact of loss of connectivity, habitat, the cooling effect of over 500 trees marked to be removed and importantly the loss of breeding hollows and the understory habitat for small native birds and other fauna.

Offsets do not compensate for local losses of habitat, fauna and flora which are irreplaceable. Providing funds to improve other habitat elsewhere does not replace species that are lost and gone forever. Native, quality bushland cannot be reconstructed – once lost it is gone forever.

Please reconsider allowing this data centre in this sensitive area.

I think that it is a wonderful thing to bring some employment back to the area. For way too long, buisness has been sqeezed out of the area by the incessant overrunning by residential get-rich-quick schemes.
So many buisnesses have suffered in that area in particular since the relocation of CSIRO.
Wonderful project (as long as it is not a Chinese owned data centre)

Please see attached Julius Avenue Data Centre Submission (SUB-91339456)

I object to the large number of mature trees that are proposed to be removed for this application. There is sufficient cleared space to build the data centre on that site without needing to remove further vegetation.

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 am writing to express my strong objection to the proposed Julius Avenue Data Centre at 6–8 Julius Avenue, North Ryde. I work as a data and insights professional and appreciate the critical role data centres play. However, this project’s environmental impacts - particularly on Lane Cove National Park and the habitat corridor adjoining the site - are unacceptable and contrary to the public interest. Specifically,

- The development is directly beside Lane Cove National Park (LCNP), a key bushland corridor in metropolitan Sydney. The proposal would remove around 509 mature trees (as stated on page 9 of EIS - Julius Avenue Data Centre 240625), severing an important habitat link vital for the movement of native wildlife and which buffers the park from urban heat, light, and noise impacts.

- The Biodiversity Development Assessment Report (BDAR) identifies impacts on habitat for at least three threatened animal species and four threatened plant species. Loss of tree hollows, increased light and noise, and greater weed and pathogen spread will all harm sensitive species. I am an avid bushcarer at Fairylands and a regular visitor to Lane Cove National Park. Years of bushcare and regeneration efforts have produced measurable gains such as weed suppression and improved habitat connectivity. Clearing hundreds of trees at this edge will likely set back those gains and degrade both habitat and the community’s experience of the park.

- People’s experience visiting LCNP, including those of bushwalkers on the popular Great North Walk, will be diminished. Loss of tree buffers will increase visible and audible intrusion from the urban edge, raise local temperatures on walking tracks, and reduce the park’s sense of natural seclusion.

As a regular visitor to the area, avid bushwalker, and participant in LCNP bushcare, I feel very strongly about preserving this important part of mature bushland, which most visitors wouldn’t even consider not being part of the park.

Industrial-scale data centres bring constant mechanical plant, heat rejection, diesel backup generators, and lighting, all operating 24/7. These are not compatible with a site directly adjoining a national park. Biodiversity offsets cannot replicate the function and cooling benefits of a mature, connected corridor. Avoidance of corridor clearing should be the priority.

Based on the above, I request that the Department refuse consent to SSD-80018208.

Kind regards

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.

Don't do it

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 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

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?

The Lanecove National Park and Surrounding bushland are a rare gem in Urban area of Sydney.
I do not know of any other major cities that have such amazing bushland in middle of the town.
As such it requires unique approach, and certainly a considerate approach to any irrevocable damage to this fragile echosystem and its Basin.

Many years of volunteers time have gone into preserving the bushland and the mature trees that take decades to grow and provide shelter for native wildlife, and it should not be wiped in hundereds by just a decision to build yet another Datacentre in vicinity of such rare gem.
the decision should be reviewed with the two questions
can this datacentre be built somewhere else with no meaningful difference in its purpose?
Can the developement be more relevant to its location and mindful of the 500 trees that is exposed to risk of lopping due to this work.

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.

My wife and I have lived in the Gladesville / Hunters Hill / North Ryde area adjoining Lane Cove River for over 30 years. During this time, we raised our family here.
One of the main reasons we chose this area was its closeness to many fine parks and natural reserve areas, especially the Lane Cove River. Children’s sport days and recreation for decades now has involved extensive use and enjoyment of these parks and reserves especially Boronia Park, Buffalo Creek Reserve oval & bike track, Magdala Park, North Ryde Park, Blenheim Park and Lane Cove National Park.

The local bushland has been and remains a part of our daily lives and a defining feature of the Gladesville / Hunters Hill / North Ryde area adjoining Lane Cove River.

My wife and I are firmly against the development proposal to build a Data Centre at Julius Avenue North Ryde for the following reasons:
• The proposed data centre would clear around one hectare of native bushland. This may seem like a small area, but for those of us who live here it represents an irreplaceable loss of green space, habitat, and the natural setting that makes this area so special. Families in this community value the connection to nature. Taking away bushland for industrial development undermines the very qualities that make this area a good place to live.
• The proposed data centre proposes to install 72 × 3.2MW back-up generators and 840kL of diesel storage capacity (12 x 70kL tanks) plus an extensive array of lithium-ion batteries for uninterrupted power supply. Given the close proximity of the National Park, Lane Cove River and other buildings and businesses in Julius Avenue including a child care centre, this proposed infrastructure is considered dangerous and unacceptably located as:
o There is a risk of a major fire and related explosion from the lithium-ion batteries and diesel storage tanks spreading to the adjoining buildings, bushland and Lane Cove National Park which in late Spring, Summer and early Autumn may cause a major bushfire requiring evacuation of surrounding business premises and homes resulting in blockage of roads such as Epping Rd, Mowbray Rd, Delhi Rd and Lady Game Drive which would cause extensive traffic gridlock.
o Any major fire at the proposed data centre would leak a toxic mix of chemicals such as diesel oil, nickel, gallium, arsenic and fire retardant into the Lane Cove River and then into Sydney Harbour.
o Any major bushfire in the Lane Cove National Park risks spreading to the proposed data centre creating the explosion and river pollutant problems as outlined above.


For the reasons outlined above I strongly urge that development proposal to build a Data Centre at Julius Avenue North Ryde be rejected and instead recommend it be re-located to a suitable site elsewhere such as the Macquarie Industrial Park at North Ryde provided such site is more than 500 metres from The Lane Cove National Park and any waterway (creek or river).