In the Cove has been following the rapid expansion of data centres in and around Lane Cove West since early 2025. Below is a complete guide to our coverage, from the first planning applications to the ongoing questions about noise, water and what it all means for our neighbourhood.
At a Glance: Where Things Stand
- The cluster: Lane Cove West Business Park is on track to become one of NSW’s most concentrated hyperscale data centre zones, with five facilities either operating, approved or in the planning system.
- AirTrunk (SYD2): Operating since 2021 but has missed multiple compliance obligations, including overdue noise verification reports and a five year overdue Long Term Environmental Management Plan. Fire and Rescue NSW has also contradicted an earlier AirTrunk claim about fire safety documentation.
- Goodman (Project Mars, 12 Mars Road): Set a state record with 374 public submissions, only nine in support. Sydney Water has asked Planning NSW to defer assessment until a servicing study is finished, expected late 2026. Lane Cove Council formally opposed the height variation.
- Regulation: NSW Planning is the sole compliance regulator, no EPA licence is required, and no other agency is checking whether reporting obligations are met.
- Community response: Lane Cove Council passed a motion calling for a single regulator to oversee data centre standards. The Lane Cove Responsible Planning Group has joined a national alliance calling for a moratorium on new approvals. Greenpeace held a community info night in the suburb on 6 July.
- Inquiries underway: A NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into data centre expansion is holding hearings through 2026. A Federal Inquiry into AI and data centres is also underway.
- What’s next: Goodman must respond to the 374 submissions before its application proceeds. Sydney Water’s servicing study and position paper are both due in Q4 2026.
Lane Cove Community Group Joins National Push to Halt Data Centre Approvals
30 June 2026
The Lane Cove Responsible Planning Group has joined a national alliance of community and climate groups calling on state and territory governments to pause new data centre approvals until stronger planning protections are in place. The alliance wants a moratorium, national environmental standards and genuine community input before any further consents are granted. Lane Cove Council also passed its own motion calling for a single regulator to oversee data centre compliance, and Greenpeace held a community info night in the suburb the following week.
Goodman Data Centre Under Pressure After Mass Public Submissions
9 May 2026
Goodman’s proposed Project Mars data centre on Mars Road set a state record for community objections, with 374 submissions lodged and only nine in support. Sydney Water took the unprecedented step of asking Planning NSW to defer its assessment until a servicing study is complete, while Lane Cove Council formally opposed the height variation and raised concerns about cumulative impact across the growing cluster. Noise, generator emissions and effects on nearby bushland and waterways were the most common objections.
Government Regulators Drop the Ball as Data Centre Proposals Soar
28 April 2026
An ITC investigation found AirTrunk’s existing SYD2 facility has missed key compliance obligations under its original consent, including overdue noise verification reports and a Long Term Environmental Management Plan. Fire and Rescue NSW also contradicted an earlier claim from AirTrunk about fire safety documentation. With NSW Planning the sole regulator and no EPA licence required, the piece asks who is actually checking compliance as more facilities are proposed for the same business park.
Two More Data Centres Planned for Lane Cove West Business Park
12 April 2026
Two additional data centres are in the pipeline for Lane Cove West Business Park, adding to the growing cluster already taking shape in the area. The proposals signal continued industry appetite for the precinct, raising fresh questions about cumulative impacts on local infrastructure, traffic, noise and the surrounding community.
Goodman Lodges Mars Road Lane Cove West Data Centre Development Application
8 April 2026
Property and industrial giant Goodman has formally lodged a development application for a data centre on Mars Road in Lane Cove West. The DA adds another significant project to the precinct’s growing pipeline and puts the spotlight back on the State Government’s assessment process for large scale data centre proposals near residential areas.
Lane Cove Council’s Response to NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Data Centres’ Rapid Expansion Does Not Address Noise or Air Quality Issues
13 March 2026
Lane Cove Council made a submission to the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into data centre expansion, but In the Cove found that the Council’s response failed to address two of the most pressing community concerns: noise and air quality. The omission prompted questions about whether local government is adequately advocating for residents living near planned and approved facilities.
NSW Parliamentary Inquiry Launched into Data Centres’ Rapid Expansion
30 January 2026
The NSW Parliament launched a formal inquiry into the rapid expansion of data centres across the state, with Lane Cove West’s growing cluster among the developments drawing scrutiny. The inquiry opened a window for community groups, councils and residents to have their say on planning processes, infrastructure pressures and the environmental consequences of the industry’s breakneck growth.
Cluster Boom: Will Data Centre Noise Be Noticeable in Your Lane Cove Neighbourhood?
24 December 2025
As data centres cluster in Lane Cove West, In the Cove investigated what the noise from large scale cooling and power systems could mean for nearby homes and streets. This is the second instalment of our four part series on how the data centre boom affects local communities, covering water, noise, planning and energy. The piece examines decibel levels, the gap between approved noise limits and real world experience, and what recourse residents may have.
Data Centre Cluster Boom: Sydney Water Infrastructure Under Pressure as Data Centre Approvals Surge
5 December 2025
The first in our four part series on data centre impacts looked at water. Data centres rely on enormous volumes of water for cooling, and In the Cove examined whether Sydney’s water infrastructure can keep pace as approvals surge. The article questions whether adequate planning is in place to manage the cumulative water demands of multiple large facilities operating simultaneously in the same precinct.
Should Data Centres Be Located Near Areas Zoned as Residential?
14 August 2025
With data centres increasingly approved on the boundary of residential zones, In the Cove asked a fundamental planning question: should they be there at all? The article explores NSW planning rules governing industrial and mixed use zones, the buffer distances (or lack thereof) between facilities and homes, and what other jurisdictions are doing to protect residential amenity from large industrial infrastructure.
Two New Data Centres Planned for In and Near the Lane Cove Local Government Area
9 April 2025
This was In the Cove’s first report on the emerging data centre cluster in the Lane Cove area, revealing that two new facilities were in the planning stages for land in and adjacent to the Lane Cove LGA. The article set the scene for what has become an ongoing and intensifying local story, one that touches on planning, amenity, infrastructure and the broader question of who decides where the digital economy’s backbone gets built.
We will continue to report on this issue. If you have information about data centre proposals or impacts in Lane Cove, get in touch.
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