Julius Avenue Data Centre

I am familiar with this part of the Lane Cove River, and I object to the proposed removal of more than 500 trees and excavation works on the development site that are immediately adjacent to the Great Northern Walk along a narrow strip on the Lane Cove River in the national park.
The Development application and the EIS by ISPT P/L deliberately use language to downplay the importance of the remnant bushland in the development site. The riparian area along the river that is part of the Lane Cove River National Park is very narrow (less than 80 meters), and removing the forest in the development site will damage the already narrow wildlife corridor. The movement of wildlife between Sydney Harbour and the Blue Mountains is served by a few corridors. The best remaining corridor is the Lane Cove River, Berowra Creek and Cattai Creek systems. The dynamics of ecosystems that contain remnant habitats are of great importance for species migration. This issue is not addressed in the proposal.
The best quality bushland along the Lane Cove River between the Epping Road and Delhi Road Bridges is the north side of the river that includes the development site. There has been considerable restoration work in the form of bush care over the last 20 years by dedicated volunteers to preserve the bushland. It is a betrayal of these volunteers and the people of NSW to allow a short-term project like this data centre to destroy mature bushland that contains a high concentration of saprophytic orchids that depend on these mature trees. 
With the emerging technology of Quantum Computing, data centres like the one proposed will become obsolete and be torn down within a couple of decades. This is too great a price to pay for destroying resilient bushland that will be occupied for centuries. Every piece of significant bushland in an urban environment is important for the well-being of the local wildlife and human community.
There is much more that I could address in my objection to this development, but time is running short on the submission deadline. Lastly, I would like to mention that the constant audible noise that a data centre generates is not addressed in the proponent’s submissions.

I strongly object to the proposal as it does not align with the principles of ecologically sustainable development for the following reasons:
- the removal of over 500 trees that comprises native vegetation and valuable fauna habitat adjacent to Lane Cove National Park to build a data centre. There would be many other more suitable industrial sites available in Ryde for this type of development. Which alternative sites have been considered and why has the details of this not been provided?
- offsetting the loss in native vegetation does not adequately compensate for the loss in biodiversity values. Mature trees take 100's of years to grow. Local fauna will loose valuable habitat which is not replaced locally.
- using potable water for the data centre's cooling systems. What a waste of a valuable resource! Why is non-potable water not used?
- the bushfire risk to National Park associated with storing 1,272,000 L (1,081 tonnes) diesel on-site - this is an unacceptable risk.
- the energy back up system involving the installation of 73 back-up generators and 12 diesel storage tanks - this is not a sustainable option. More sustainable alternatives need to be investigated.

This project is deeply objected by all who are aware of it. You're claim of being an 'environmentally friendly' company, is completely misleading as this project shows the complete opposite. If you had any respect for the environment this would not be built at all, let alone in this exact area. This area is used as a nature corridor for animals between the national park and urban areas. At least 300 of the 500 trees you plan to destroy are homes to native animals, birds, and insects which allow our small portion of bushland in Sydney to thrive. These trees can be over 100 years old, shown containing hollows with nests and baby animals. These are their homes. They did not give you permission to destroy it. Not only will you be destroying their homes but you aim to cover it up by saying you will replant 750 trees in a new area. It's embarrassing. You can't destroy living organisms small space they have left, they do not get warnings, and plant new ones kilometers away which will take decades to regenerate into the significance they hold here. You're centre will use the fresh water of the people and energy of the people, you will emit gases. This project is nothing but destructive. Why should we, and the innocent flora and fauna have to put up with the consequences of your energy-eating company. Go elsewhere. Go to the middle of the desert and away from what matters. I hope you will seriously reconsider your destructive future plans, and we will make sure everybody knows what you have done if you go through with this.

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.

Please refer to my attached objection letter.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

I write as a result of the excessive number of trees that will be removed to construct this project
There are numerous environmental concerns with this proposal but the removal of 509 trees in this location is not appropriate and another site which has already been cleared would be more acceptable to me
Thankyou for your consideration

The Chatswood West Ward Progress Association is very concerned about this DA and request it be rejected in its current form for all the reasons outlined in the attached submission.

I strongly oppose the planned destruction of native vegetation associated with this development. this is an important wildlife habitat and corridor and they should not be removed.

Lane Cove and Ryde are becoming saturated with data centres.
This one has particular environmental consequences with 500 trees being cut down to make way for the data centre.
We need to think of the bigger picture instead of throwing up data centres wherever there is land.
Can the saturation of data centres be spread throughout Sydney or use land outside of highly populated and environmentally sensitive areas?

This proposal is beside Lane cove national park. This isa precious natural area in a built up city.
The developer states:
“The Proposal will involve the clearing of native vegetation to allow the construction of a new data centre on the Site.”
⁠⁠"The Proposal’s development footprint proposes to remove 1.33 hectares of native vegetation on the Site” [and removal of 509 trees]
”The Proposal requires species credits to offset the loss of habitat for three threatened (candidate) fauna species, namely: 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, in which presence has been assumed in the vegetation zone 3952_ModGood due to suitable habitat within the Subject Land and restriction of survey period.”

There is suggestion they will offset by planting trees elsewhere - this does not help the threatened (candidate) fauna - they are living in the area and need to be accommodated where they currently reside.

This development needs to consider their neighbours (LCNP) and current inhabitants in place (native fauna). Planting trees elsewhere does not preserve the value of Lane Cove National Park.
In reviewing, assessing, and providing caveats on this proposal ensure the animal corridors and natural integrity of LCNP is at least maintained by development neighbouring it (if not improved).

I believe a data centre should not be built here in order to protect a vulnerable bushland and a wildlife corridor.

At the least the area should be assessed by a trained ecologist on how much damage the data centre could cause and how to best mitigate damages.

The removal of 500 trees to build a data centre will harm the environment. As the proposed area is contiguous with Lane Cove National Park, it would damage an otherwise carefully protected ecosystem.
A data centre is fleetingly important – within 100 years the same technology will be made far more compact as seen time and time again – and the clearing of this land is irreversible.

I object to this development because of the risks imposed on the Lane Cove National Park due to the destruction of this ‘buffer zone’ as well as the destruction of the bush land currently there. The deforesting of urban environments has significant implications. For a city that is already so affected by the heat and global warming of climate change this is significantly impactful particularly for Sydney. The developers plans to plant other trees elsewhere does not address this issue nor protect the Lane Cove National Park.

Mature hollow bearing trees cannot be replaced in value in their current ecosystem. Planting more trees elsewhere doesn’t negate the damage that would occur by removing critical habitat for wildlife who are already feeling the impacts of clearing for development. The amount of hollow bearing trees has diminished significantly and has put a huge stress on wildlife that rely on them.

I am an environmental science student in the area who is concerned about the potential clearing of mature, hollow-bearing trees. The loss of hollow-bearing trees has such a devastating impact that it has been listed as a Key Threatening Process under the Biodiversity Conservation Act (previously the Threatened Species Conservation Act) since 2007. Mature, hollow-bearing trees are extremely important for providing habitat to native birds, invertebrates, marsupials and other fauna. Trees take more than a hundred years to begin developing hollows. Newly planted trees will not provide this sort of value to an ecosystem for a long time. The absence of an impact assessment of this potential loss to the local wildlife is worrying - will threatened species be affected? Biodiversity offset schemes are no substitute for local, ecologically significant trees. Research by the Australia Institute and many media reports have shown that most biodiversity credit schemes are 'of low integrity'. Please give greater consideration to maintaining hollow-bearing trees in the development of this project.