By Warisa Somsuphangsri and Sean Brown
When the Premier, Jacinta Allan, said, “We’re going after the data centre jobs. We’re going to be ruthless about it,” we didn’t realise she meant ruthless on local communities such as ours.
As residents of Tottenham and West Footscray, we are deeply concerned about the expansion of the NextDC M3 Data Centre (Ministerial Permit PA2604231) and the recently approved Perri Melbourne Data Centre, adjacent to the heritage-listed Goldsbrough Mort & Co Woolstore (Ministerial Permit PA2403320).
Both sites are in extremely close proximity to residential housing.
We are not opposed to data centres. We understand the growing demand for digital infrastructure and the role these facilities play in a connected world. However, these locations are fundamentally inappropriate – particularly given that one has been classified as a “hyperscale” facility. Together, these developments will occupy up to 12.72 hectares of land, literally metres from family homes.
This reflects a clear failure in planning; residential and industrial zones are simply too close together. And it is residents who are paying the price.
The Victorian Government has made its priorities clear. The data centre industry comes first – community wellbeing does not.
The rapid and aggressive expansion of these facilities threatens the liveability of our neighbourhood. It raises serious concerns about the lack of consideration for the cumulative health, financial and environmental impacts on local residents.
These permits should never have been approved.
Tottenham and West Footscray are vibrant, close-knit communities where families live, work and feel deeply connected to the area they call home. Preliminary research suggests data centres should not be located within 500 metres of residential areas.
Yet within 500 metres of NextDC M3 alone, there are:
- 857 homes*
- 2,135 residents*
- a kindergarten
- a maternal and child health clinic
- two playgrounds
- parks and the Stony Creek walking track
Within the overlapping 500-metre radius of both sites, there are:
- 763 homes*
- 1,908 residents*
- a kindergarten
- a maternal and child health clinic
- a playground
These are not abstract figures – they represent real families directly impacted by these developments.
Large-scale data centres carry well-documented risks, including:
- air quality impacts from diesel backup generators
- increased urban heat from industrial cooling systems
- constant noise and light pollution
Construction alone is bringing ongoing disruption – dust, noise, heavy vehicle traffic and contractor parking spilling into residential streets. These are impacts our community has already endured for years and will continue to face as new sites commence development.
Once operational, the long-term impacts for residents will persist for decades. Diesel emissions, constant noise and increased ambient temperatures will become part of daily life.
Our community is set to host one of the largest diesel storage facilities in Victoria, holding approximately 1.5 million litres.1 Only major fuel terminals store more – this is an incredible risk in the event of a major fire.
The entire community will be living alongside what is effectively a diesel-powered energy facility – one that regularly tests its generators.
Our community was not consulted.
We have received no compensation.
And we are already breathing air that the Victorian Government itself has identified as needing urgent improvement.
There are also serious financial implications. The presence of large industrial infrastructure of this scale may reduce property values, placing significant financial strain on people who have invested their lives and savings into this community.
None of these concerns have been meaningfully addressed through the planning process. Instead, these developments have been fast-tracked under the Allan Government’s Development Facilitation Program – a mechanism designed to bypass standard planning pathways for so-called ‘priority’ projects.
Under current Victorian planning laws, residents have little recourse. Once approved by the Planning Minister, there is no right of appeal – not even through VCAT. The only remaining option is a Supreme Court review, which only assesses legality, not the merits or impacts of the decision.
In effect, the community bears all of the risk – and none of the benefit.
The gains go to operators such as NextDC, developers, government and corporate users – none of whom live within 500 metres of these sites.
If you are concerned about this development, we urge you to support our community by signing the petition and sharing it widely.
Our neighbourhood’s future depends on it.
Sign the petition at change.org.au ‘Object the expansion of NextDC Data Centre in West Footscray’
