Microsoft Lane Cove: Plans for $129m Mowbray Road data centre
A mega six-storey data centre is set to be built opposite homes on Sydney’s north shore as part of a $129 million plan in the works by global tech giant Microsoft.
North Shore
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A futuristic data centre to be run by global tech company Microsoft is set to transform a residential street on the north shore.
New plans have been revealed to build the six-storey facility on the site of the Lane Cove Technology and Media Park on Mowbray Rd in a move to feed the insatiable demand for the safe storage of information in the online ‘cloud’.
The mega $129 million facility would include 14 vast data halls along with 16 substations, loading docks, 50 carparks and on-site fuel storage tanks storing approximately 1800 tonnes of diesel.
Construction plans for the facility have been released by ARUP – which has built similar facilities elsewhere in Australia and around the world – and would be operated by Microsoft.
The centre’s main purpose would be to connect businesses to the ‘cloud’ – a term given to computer programs, systems and information hosted on the internet.
“The way data and records are stored is considered to be continually evolving and the storage of cloud and electronic data is now a fundamental piece of infrastructure and services for both business and consumer transactions,” the plans stated.
Microsoft is the latest company to join the data race on the north shore with construction works continuing on a $238 million data centre by NextDC on the corner of Broadcast Way and the Pacific Hwy in Artarmon while a $216 million facility by AirTrunk was approved a site at 1 Sirius Rd in Lane Cove West in December.
ARUP has held Initial meetings to discuss the proposal with Lane Cove Council.
A council spokeswoman in a statement said staff have “some awareness of what is proposed but has not undertaken any assessment at this stage.”
If approved, existing buildings at the Mowbray Rd site – home to businesses ranging from a dance studio to a ukulele manufacturer – would be demolished.
Plans stated a dangerous goods report would be prepared to assess any potential requirements for an Environmental Protection Licence required for the storage of diesel.
The proposal has also flagged possible noise mitigation measures to address potential impacts from operating plants and equipment on homes opposite the site.
ARUP said the development would provide up to 300 construction jobs and up to 50 full time roles once up and running.
“The development would support the growth and development of IT infrastructure across NSW (and) cater for emerging and evolving data storage requirements,” the company said.
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