{"id":"camfeed-153","numeric_id":153,"short_title":"Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled","seo_title":"Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger - ABC News","social_title":"Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger","headline":"Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger","teaser_title":"Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger","titles_source_url":"https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-28/lane-cove-ai-data-centre-plans-abandoned-by-goodman-group/107205120","titles_fetched_at":"2026-09-28T08:40:28+00:00","title":"Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger","canonical_url":"https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-28/lane-cove-ai-data-centre-plans-abandoned-by-goodman-group/107205120","published_at":"2026-09-28T08:07:02+00:00","source":"ABC News","source_type":"abc","type":"news article","content_role":"primary","author":"Cameron Wilson","summary":"A controversial proposed data centre has been withdrawn by its developer after it became a flashpoint amid growing opposition to the AI infrastructure development across the country.","text":"A controversial proposed data centre has been withdrawn by its developer after it became a flashpoint amid growing opposition to the AI infrastructure development across the country.","has_full_text":true,"mcp_visible":true,"mcp_full_text_allowed":true,"full_text_word_count":455,"full_text_status":"ok","full_text_source_url":"https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-28/lane-cove-ai-data-centre-plans-abandoned-by-goodman-group/107205120","full_text_fetched_at":"2026-09-28T08:40:28+00:00","has_transcript":false,"transcript_status":"","transcript_kind":"","transcript_char_count":0,"topics":["AI","technology policy"],"quoted_author":"","quoted_url":"","quoted_text":"","citation":"Cameron Wilson, \"Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger\", ABC News, 2026-09-28, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-28/lane-cove-ai-data-centre-plans-abandoned-by-goodman-group/107205120","citation_markdown":"Cameron Wilson, [Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-28/lane-cove-ai-data-centre-plans-abandoned-by-goodman-group/107205120) — ABC News — 2026-09-28","attribution":"Originally published at ABC News. Link to the canonical ABC URL: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-28/lane-cove-ai-data-centre-plans-abandoned-by-goodman-group/107205120","related_items":[{"id":"camfeed-154","title":"Scoop: A controversial Sydney data centre project that was proposed to be built 20 metres from houses has been withdrawn by its developer,...","canonical_url":"https://mastodon.social/@camwilson/117347692094154998","public_data_url":"https://camfeed.cameronwilson.com.au/items/154.json","source_type":"mastodon","source":"Mastodon","type":"mastodon post","content_role":"promotion","published_at":"2026-09-28T08:21:20+00:00","relation":"Promotes ABC article: Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger","excerpt":"Scoop: A controversial Sydney data centre project that was proposed to be built 20 metres from houses has been withdrawn by its developer, citing \"changes in the regulatory environment.\" with Ange Lavoipierre https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-28/lane-cove-ai-data-centre-plans-...","has_transcript":false,"transcript_status":"","transcript_kind":""}],"full_text":"A controversial proposed data centre has been withdrawn by its developer after it became a flashpoint amid growing opposition to the AI infrastructure development across the country.\n\nGoodman Group confirmed on Monday it had told the NSW Department of Planning it would no longer proceed with its $1.2 billion Project Mars in Sydney's north shore, citing \"changes in regulatory environment\".\n\nThe Project Mars development is among a new generation of data centres forcing the federal government to walk a tightrope between enticing investment from AI companies and quelling community concerns about their environmental impacts.\n\nWhile not as large as some other proposed projects, the three-storey project situated in Lane Cove attracted controversy as it sought planning approval from the state.\n\nThe project was approximately 20 metres from the nearest house and 160 metres from Lane Cove West Public School.\n\nIn a statement, developer Goodman said the decision to shelve the project came after hearing from the local community and in response to changes in regulation.\n\n\"During this time, the policy and regulatory environment for large-scale data centre development has evolved significantly,\" it said.\n\n\"Goodman has carefully considered these changes together with feedback received through the planning process, including the views of the local community.\"\n\nGoodman's decision comes after NSW introduced a new fast-track program for data centres that met certain requirements, and in anticipation of new federal rules for data centres that the Prime Minister now says will be introduced into Parliament by the start of this year.\n\nLocal community groups fiercely opposed the project, taking umbrage with its expected impacts.\n\nThese groups appeared before the first hearing of the federal senate inquiry into data centres and artificial intelligence last week, along with Goodman's general manager of developments Ben McGilp.\n\nLiberal senator Sarah Henderson repeatedly pressured Mr McGilp to withdraw the proposal on the spot.\n\nHenderson said the project was a \"wholly unreasonable proposal… that shows contempt for local residents\".\n\nSweltering Cities senior campaigner Sanaa Shah, who spoke before the committee, told the ABC she was glad to see the project shelved.\n\nKnow more about this story? Email Cam Wilson on wilson.cameron@abc.net.au or his secure email cmwlsn@protonmail.com\n\n\"It's a clear testament to the large scale community resistance that's forming to data centres. It's something we're observing across the country,\" she said\n\nLast month, consultancy CT group told its clients that local opposition to data centres had become a risk to their development.\n\nAdvocacy group Data Centre Australia recently warned Australia risked losing data centre developments to neighbouring countries.\n\n\"Some of that is the approval processes, some of that is supply chain issues, some of that is physically getting in there or social licence issues,\" CEO Belinda Dennett said.","full_text_attribution":"Full text extracted from the ABC News article at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-28/lane-cove-ai-data-centre-plans-abandoned-by-goodman-group/107205120. Attribute to ABC News and link to the canonical URL."}