The cooks river is a vital part of many communities and data centres will actively destroy these cherished ecosystems. Data centres should not be allowed in natural areas which could be used to create new third spaces or rehabilitate the natural landscape their to genuinely benefit the community opposed to data centres which prioritise corporations and individual wealth.

I object to the inclusion of a large-scale data centre in this redevelopment.

This is not an anti-AI protest, however data centres bring 24/7 industrial noise from cooling systems, generators and other plant equipment. There is plenty of research linking long-term environmental noise to sleep disturbance, stress, cardiovascular disease and a reduced quality of life. These are genuine health concerns, not fear of technology.

I'm also concerned about traffic. Marsh Street is already heavily congested with airport traffic, industrial vehicles and ongoing urban development. Adding more construction and servicing traffic will only make things worse.

Given how close this proposal is to existing homes, I don't think the long-term impacts have been properly justified. I'd like to see a more thorough independent assessment of the cumulative noise, traffic and health impacts before any approval is considered.

Australia has no shortage of land. Projects with the potential to impact people's health and amenity should be built away from established residential communities wherever possible.

I do not support the development as it will put significant additional environmental pressure on the Cook River and heavily reduce the habitat and open space for wildlife.

I strongly object to the Kogarah Golf Club Redevelopment. The possibility of a data centre being built alongside a river that is already plagued by pollution is unacceptable. If the golf course is no longer serving its original purpose, the government should take advantage of the rare opportunity to have more green space so close to the city and return the space to public use as a park. I do not want my tax dollars going toward the construction of a data centre along the river I grew up on, that I grew up trying to help clean.
Data centres could use the equivalent of a quarter of Sydney's current annual drinking water supply within a decade, according to Sydney Water. In a nation that has known devastating droughts, diving head-first into the development of data centres with little community consultation is offensive and dangerous. Artificial Intelligence is a bubble, investors are already backing off some of their previous grandiose claims of permanent growth and profits. When that bubble bursts and AI use declines, what will we do with these giant buildings that have taken up our water supply, clogged our neighbourhoods and quickened our descent into an unliveable climate crisis?

The proposed development neglects the Cooks River frontage, where it will have a significant visual impact for users of the river, as well as providing insufficient space for riparian restoration or public access along this significant waterway. Space should also be allowed for future sea level rise, ensuring that the river's ecological and cultural values can be maintained over the lifetime of the development. I support the Cooks River Alliance's position, calling for:
- A 4% developer contribution dedicated to the rehabilitation, restoration and long-term management of the Cooks River.
- A minimum 40-metre riparian corridor from the high water mark along the full length of the river frontage, incorporating climate-resilience measures and planning for tidal inundation. (4th order tidal streams recommendation)
- A fully naturalised riverbank along the development frontage, supported by measures to address future tidal impacts.
- Reorient the public space (‘Pemulwuy Park’) towards the riverfront to provide better connection to the wider riparian corridor.
- Early delivery of public access and open space, rather than deferring these outcomes to the final stages of development.

NO DATA CENTRE
THE COOKS RIVER IS ALREADY SO POLLUTED
THE SYDNEY BASIN IS ALREADY SO POLLUTED
WE ARE MOVING BACKWARDS
DONT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN

I object to this project for the following reasons:

Wolli Creek is a beautiful suburb, and the proposed construction replaces land that was fantastic for recreational use with a massive structure that does not benefit the direct community. In addition to this, there is reportedly numerous detrimental impacts of AI data centers on the local environment due to the heat they give off and the water requirements they have. Local residents will need to share their water and electricity supply with this data center, which can only lead to a worse service for Wolli Creek and surrounding suburb residents. In addition to this, the structure will give off emissions which worsens the air quality in the area. All in all, this data center will negatively impact the quality of life of the local residents and the wildlife of the area.

This land should be used for amenities for the local residents, not for our AI overlords. Australia has loads of space that is uninhabited to build data centers on, why would we build one here?

Whilst the overall redevelopment into accommodation, food and drink etc is understandable, the inclusion of a data centre in this proposal needs to be deeply reconsidered. Data centres are incredibly disruptive to local wildlife https://blog.nwf.org/2026/05/data-centers-water-and-the-strain-on-local-resources/ and have terrible ramifications on local residents' health and wellbeing, through noise, light, and air pollution https://www.environmentalhealthproject.org/post/the-dangers-of-data-centers. With Sydney airport already in close proximity, additional (avoidable) pollution should be deprioritised in favour of developing green spaces and protecting the natural riverbanks.

Please refer to my attached submission in objection to the master plan in it's current form.
The foreshore corridor is too narrow, solar access is compromised by excessively large waterfront buildings, the built form risks creating a wall-like gateway outcome and the inclusion of data centre uses may undermine the employment objectives of the precinct.
I therefore request that the Department require substantial amendments to the Concept Masterplan prior to approval, including:
• A wider and more usable public foreshore corridor.
• Improved solar access to public open spaces.
• Greater building separation, modulation and height transition along the waterfront.
• Additional public through-site links connecting the foreshore to the internal street network.
• Protection and enhancement of gateway character through improved urban design outcomes.
• Retention and strengthening of employment-generating land uses, with detailed assessment of any proposed data centre development.
• A stronger emphasis on place-making and public amenity befitting the site's status as one of Sydney's most prominent gateway locations.
These amendments would deliver a significantly better outcome for the local community, the Bayside Local Government Area, visitors arriving in Sydney and the long-term urban character of this strategically important site.
Regards
Edward Esdaile-Watts