Amazon's massive new Dublin data centre has got the all-clear
If fully built out, the Mulhuddart site could use as much electricity as a city.
AMAZON HAS GOT the green light for its new huge new data centre in north-west Dublin.
Last March, Amazon Data Services Ireland Limited submitted plans to Fingal County Council seeking to build a 20,739 sq m (223,000 sq ft) data centre. This is about three times as big as the pitch in the Aviva Stadium.
It is estimated that the facility, which will be located at a site bounded by Cruiserath Road, will cost about €200 million to build and will require around 30 full-time staff to maintain when completed.
Amazon has also said that, if needed, it could build an additional seven data facilities as part of a masterplan for the 26-hectare site, which is owned by the IDA.
Although the development was approved by Fingal County Council, several parties appealed this decision to An Bórd Pleanala.
One of the reasons for the appeal was due to the amount of electricity that the data centre could consume. If fully built out with all the additional seven data halls, it could consume 4.4% of the all-Ireland energy demand by 2026.
At a conservative estimate, this means that it would use as much electricity as every household in a city the size of Galway.
However, the planning body found in favour of the US tech giant, and granted permission for the first stage of the development.
Policy
In its decision, An Bórd Pleanala said that the proposed development “of a data centre with data halls would be consistent with the European and government policy concerning the development of digital infrastructure”.
It was also found that the project would fit in with the local area plan and “would not seriously injure the amenities of the area or of the property in the vicinity”.
“The proposed development, therefore, would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area,” it said.
The ruling will come as a boost to Amazon which already has several data centres in Dublin, including one located in nearby Blanchardstown and three near Tallaght.
It is also planning to build a data centre near Dublin Airport, at the Clonshaugh Business and Technology Park.
