Australia’s CDC Data Centres has proposed a four-building data centre campus near Wagga Wagga, NSW, with an estimated development cost of AUD 15bn and total power demand of up to 1.4GW. The project, planned for 216 Ashfords Road, Gregadoo, would be developed on approximately 103.8 hectares of land around 11 kilometres south of Wagga Wagga’s city centre.
CDC has submitted a scoping report seeking project-specific Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) for a combined planning proposal and State Significant Development Application. The scoping report, prepared by Willowtree Planning on CDC’s behalf, describes a hyperscale campus comprising four single-storey data centre buildings, with a combined gross floor area of approximately 189,325 square metres. Each building would measure approximately 47,275 square metres, while the overall building envelope would extend around 490.9 metres by 169.7 metres.
The report identifies total power demand of up to 1.4GW and estimates the development cost at approximately AUD 15bn, excluding GST. The figure covers the proposed data centre campus and associated infrastructure. The proposal is intended to support demand for AI compute, data storage and connectivity, while establishing a regional digital infrastructure and technology sector, according to the report.
Major electricity connection
The campus would be connected to the existing high-voltage electricity network through a dedicated connection to the nearby 330kV Transgrid substation, located approximately 1.3 kilometres north of the site.
CDC’s scoping report says the connection process has commenced with Transgrid through Lumea. The project would include two on-site substations, a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM), electrical yards and backup generation.
The report proposes up to 384 diesel generators, located beneath chiller decks, alongside diesel fuel storage of approximately 6,400 tonnes. A rooftop solar photovoltaic array comprising around 20,160 panels would have a proposed capacity of 13.1MWp.
The scale of the proposed electricity demand means the capacity of the existing transmission network will be a key issue in the environmental assessment. CDC says it intends to fund the connection and associated network augmentation, although the scoping report does not establish the final connection arrangements or whether network upgrades have been approved.
Rural land and planning amendment
The proposed site is currently zoned RU1 Primary Production under the Wagga Wagga Local Environmental Plan 2010, where data centres are not permitted. CDC is therefore seeking a site-specific amendment to the local environmental plan to permit a data centre and associated infrastructure. The existing RU1 zoning would be retained, with the additional permitted use established through Schedule 1 of the LEP.
The planning proposal and State Significant Development Application are intended to progress concurrently. The land is currently used for grazing and includes a dwelling, outbuildings and approximately 12 dams. Boiling Down Creek runs through the central part of the site. The scoping report identifies biodiversity, flooding, bushfire risk, agricultural land, visual impacts and land-use compatibility as matters requiring further assessment.
Water and road infrastructure
CDC’s scoping report says the cooling strategy is directed at minimising potable water consumption, but the specific cooling technology has not yet been settled. The report notes the proponent is still weighing the relative water use of evaporative versus mechanical cooling systems, with the preferred approach to be confirmed through detailed design.
The site currently has no connection to reticulated water, sewer, gas or telecommunications services.
Preliminary discussions have taken place with Riverina Water about extending an existing DN300 water main near Lake Albert Fire Station, approximately 2.6 km from the site. The required upgrades will depend on the project’s final water demand.
Wagga Wagga City Council has advised that connection to the reticulated sewer network is not feasible because of the distance involved. CDC therefore has proposed an on-site wastewater solution.
Community and economic benefits
The scoping report says the project would deliver “substantial construction employment” and “an enduring skilled operational workforce” in the Wagga Wagga region, but does not provide specific job estimates.
Its stated objectives include local supplier development, procurement and a community benefit programme to be developed in consultation with Wagga Wagga City Council and local communities.
The company has also identified potential pressure on regional housing availability as an issue to be assessed, stating that it will work with council and other stakeholders to understand and mitigate workforce accommodation impacts. Like most large projects, the scoping report says the environmental impact statement will assess the project’s social and economic effects, including employment, investment and other benefits to the region.
The project remains at an early planning stage, with technical assessments and the environmental impact statement still to be prepared. The next steps include the issuing of SEARs, preparation of the EIS and consideration of the concurrent planning proposal.
CDC says it is currently in the concept phase and is working with Wagga Wagga City Council, NSW Planning and the local community to understand the potential impacts and benefits of the development.