Project Mars Data Centre

My kids play at Blackman Park multiple times a week and we live very close. I am opposed to the major industrial facility operating so close to the sporting grounds, school and homes. Having 49 diesel generators, 1M liters of diesel and 194000kg of lithium batteries so close to homes, schools and sporting fields is unacceptable and unreasonable. Increased trucks, the destruction of 90 trees and combination of lithium batteries and diesel is also unacceptable. I’m extremely concerned about noise, pollution and safety of the community/ wildlife and my family. I also don’t want 3yrs of construction when the area already has traffic and parking issues and water works in the area have been ongoing for some time already. This type of facility should not be in residential areas.

This potentially noisy and polluting development is too close to a quiet residential area and sporting grounds/recreational park (Blackman Park) used by the surrounding community of North Ryde, East Ryde, Lane Cove and Gladesville.

Loss of habitat for wildlife and trees, reduce enjoyment of Blackman park, pollution. Background noise

Lane Cove is known for it's open space, trees, and family friendly third spaces including the wonderful Blackman Park. The idea of a 28m high industrial building in the middle of homes, a school, and Blackman Park is absurd. The noise, pollution, irreversible environmental damage and loss of wildlife, not to mention the danger of diesel and lithium batteries in a known bushfire prone land!

Lane Cove West and particularly the Blackman Park Precinct are important to the Lane Cove Community. This is a place where people live and play with their children in a quiet bushland setting. It should not be permitted to build a mega data centre so close to homes, the public school and the recreational area which is highly valued by the community. Such development should be further away from residential areas.

The impacts on residents and the community are real. We have already experienced the adverse impacts over the last 12 months arising from expansion of existing data facilities at Lane Cove West and work by contractors Interflow to install a huge pipeline to provide the increased water for the centre. We have had over one year of major disruption to our little street (Hallam Ave) just because it was the most direct route from water supplies to the data centre. We were impacted by heavy machinery digging and re-digging trenches and laying huge pipes. When the pipeline was tested there were leaks and the street is a mess of patched holes as they tried to find the leaks. I wrote to Lane Cove Council about this and also expressed concern about the possible impact of high volume water leaks on the protected Turpentine Forest just behind Hallam Avenue where a small creek flows and native wildlife abound. We dread the prospect of an even larger data centre development as proposed in this Project and what that may mean for further water infrastructure and this environment.

Hallam Avenue and other streets in Lane Cove West are named to honour local men who gave their lives in war. Private Richard Henry Hallam was a 19 year old local grocer who was killed in France in 1917. These local heroes would be turning in their graves to know that the amenity and enjoyment of Lane Cove West was to be compromised by a major industrial facility 50 m from homes and 160 M from the beautiful school.

Please reconsider the suitability of the site for this Project.

Hi
I live in the area and I’m concerned about the noise, water demand and potential health impacts given I’m allergic to dust and am an asthmatic. Having these data centres so close to residential housing is concerning. The impact on local wildlife as well is concerning
Thanks

This project is going to destroy the pristine ecosystem that exists around Blackman park where scores of families use every day. I strongly object to this project due to its irreversible impact on the environment, the pollution and emissions from the generators, the noise levels and loss of trees. As a resident who enjoys the space it would be huge setback to the community if this project goes ahead.

I object to this major project due to its close proximity to the local school, Lane Cove West, which my kids attend and as we live in the local area. I am concerned about:
1. The 24/7 operations of the data centre - causing ongoing background noise, vibrations, dust and pollution so close to a school and recreational park which is heavily used my families in local area;
2. Huge water use - impact to local supply, infrastructure and potential contamination.
3. Increased traffic congestion in local area due to the 3 year construction- the roads have already been extremely congested in this area due to other works over the past year
4. Environmental impact of this major construction and ongoing 24/7 operation (removal of trees)
5. Health impact of going to school and living close to such a large 24/7 data centre
6. If this project is approved it may set precedent for the 4 other proposed data centers and the concerns around living close to such an industrial data centre hub will multiply ;

I object to the proposed mega data centre next to Blackman park on environmental grounds.
The use of diesel generators and storage of over one million litres of diesel pose serious risks, including air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions.
This scale of industrial development is incompatible with the environmental value of Blackman park.
I urge that the proposal be rejected.

I strongly object to the proposed Data Centre development at 12 Mars Rd, Lane Cove West, the location is totally unsuitable for such a large scale development.
The proposed location is adjacent to residential houses, school, local community nursery, skate park, sporting fields, dog exercise area and the proximity to Lane Cove River.
This development will destroy habitats for our local wild life.
This development if approved will exacerbate the already stretched water and electricity resources in this area.
This proposed site will store diesel fuel for their backup generators, lithium batteries and other inflammable materials, therefore it is total unacceptable for the local community.
I am also concerned with the 24 hours operation and the noise that will be produced.
The construction of this site will be for many years, I am very concerned with the construction noise, dust, increase in traffic for our local community.

Being 50m from homes and 160m from a public school, this development will adversely affect the quality of life of people living in a quiet residential family area, which also is home to Blackman Park recreational and sport area, a facility much loved by the wider local community.

The centre’s constant low-frequency humming from cooling systems, and noise from backup diesel generators, are not acceptable, as they pose mental and physical health risks to nearby residents and students at schools

I object to the proposal's impact on local power grids and water supplies, with approximately half a billion litres of water required for cooling. The risk of electricity blackouts and the excessive water usage is not acceptable..

The development’s effect on an existing small business park, will result in a net loss of local jobs, which will adversely affect the economic health of the area..

I object to the noise, vibration, and dust from three years of potential construction which will adversely affect local lifestyle and well being.

I object to the health risks asociated with the removal of abestos and tanks

Once complete, the proposed site includes 49 backup diesel generators. I object to these emissions and adverse affect to air quality near residential areas and a school.

The site adjoins protected bushland and the Lane Cove River corridor, and I object to significant excavation impacting endangered saltmarsh communities. This will also be a detrimental effect on popular walking tracks beside the park and river.

I object to the removal of 90 trees to be involved in the construction. This adversely affects the green space and environment of the area and wildlife ecosystems with impact on natural habitats.

Also the loss of wildlife due to excessive vibration.

The proposed 28.3m height exceeds allowed dimensions by approximately 57%.

Further mental and physical health concerns are created by the inevitable damaging affect to house prices which could harm residents’ future lives.

This project will be a major hazard to local communities.

ongoing noise and dust from extensive demolition
loss of wild life
risk associated with the removal if asbestos

I am concerned with the location so close to my children's school. Also with the amount of potable water the site will require, and the impact to the facilities and environment also, whether this is the best use of the land for the community. I think they should build it somewhere else, and be forced to used renewable energy and recycle water at a minimum.

I object the project because of the noise and air pollution it will bring. I also don’t believe it should be built in a residential area. It will take away from the beauty and popularity of lane cove west

I object to the project. This is not something that should go ahead. It is completely disruptive.

Firstly i would comment that the actual layout of the proposed Centre is very hard to understand in terms of where are the key elements of public concern, being the noise emitters and hazardous areas of the plant being primarily HV Switchgear, transformers , fuel storages, diesel generators and Li batteries.

I am only commenting because my early childhood was in Wood St very close to the entrance to what is now Blackman Park.

Key issues that are not well covered in my opinion, include:
1. What really would happen if there is thermal runaway from one of the batteries. Firefighting access is not clear. Will the proposed water based sprinkler system actually work? Will a nominal 4 hour wall fire rating be sufficient to stop a fire from migrating to an adjacent battery room? What happens to the toxic fumes. Has any modelling of toxic fume plumes been carried out? What are the risk to the adjacent industrial and residential areas.
2. There are no fire "set backs" ... the proposed plantings close to the building to provide visual screening would in fact increase risk either to the Centre in case of a local bushfire, or vice versa leading to a bush fire if there is a Centre fire.
3. The Visual Impact Assessment (Appendix N) understates the visual impact. Images show views from streets looking to the Centre site though street plantings and houses. see VP 2 and VP7 for example.. houses whose rear living areas and back yards. in fact. face the Centre.

Why is there the need for a data centre so close to parks and homes? 28m high?

Wigan council in the U.K are facing huge backlash across all news outlets for allowing industrial buildings so close to residential homes.

It’s your job to protect your residents, not corporations.

There is an over representation of data centres either built, being built or proposed for the Lane Cove/Ryde area which will deliver on-going and extensive environmental damage for not only our native wildlife but also our local communities.
Issues with these developments include:
- further fragmentation of bushland and habitat corridor connections – how are these facilities going to improve our natural environment and allow connectivity across their sites? All developments should be considering and improving the local natural environment.
- loss of vegetation and canopy adding to the heat effect
- effect on plant communities, tree roots, mocrobes, weeds, etc in surrounding area from extensive excavation and change in water movement across the landscape. There is always runoff, movement of sediment and impacts from construction!
- disturbance during construction of wildlife and local communities
- lack of evidence that the vibration/noise generated from such large facilities doesn’t effect people and wildlife long term
- huge use of power and water. What happens when we go back into drought – are any of these facilities offering innovative closed systems that don’t draw from existing resources?
Please consider our concerns.

Re Project Mars Rd Data Centre SSD-82052708

I strongly object to the location of this hyperdata-centre specifically, and indeed to all such data centres in close proximity to residential areas, recreational areas and schools. For too long we have had our roads disrupted to lay a new water main, but now we face the prospect of permanent environmental noise and other pollution adjacent to a residential street, a well-used sporting facility, and Lane Cove National Park, and close to a primary school. It is a totally inappropriate location.
It beggars belief that not long ago we were encouraged to fit water tanks and water saving devices to our houses, as I did, and indeed were collecting grey water to keep our gardens alive when drought set in. Yet now, single data facilities are allowed to consume as much potable water as an entire suburb with no thought to recycling, and no increase in state water capacity. No doubt we will have another drought around the corner, with the BOM already forecasting another El Nino event in the coming months. What happens to the data centre when households are again requested to minimise water use? I also understand that it is possible to air-condition these facilities rather than use out-dated water cooling, but even then the extreme energy consumption would, I believe, put a strain on the grid, and the noise would doubtless be exacerbated.
I grew up in the industrial north of England where mills grew up around the natural resources of water and coal, and not in the cities where the products were consumed. Why are data centres being put where they can do most environmental damage and cause residential disruption instead, say, adjacent to a desalination plant powered by green energy? I am not convinced that we need data centres to be located in the midst of residential areas, nor indeed industrial areas where people need to work among the constant noise. Nor indeed am I convinced that we even need to see their more widespread proliferation in an arid land short of supporting water and energy infrastructure.
Yours sincerely,
Gareth Evans AM
8 Hallam Avenue
Lane Cove West 2066