What happened
A proposed data centre in Sydney, known as Project Mars, has been scrapped due to changes in the policy and regulatory environment and opposition from local residents. The $1.2 billion project, which would have been constructed near homes in the Lane Cove area, faced intense push-back from campaigners.
The project's developer, Goodman Group, confirmed it was withdrawing its application in a letter to the local planning authority. The decision comes after a consultation received 374 submissions, with only nine in support of the project.
The proposal had sparked a wider disagreement in Australia over the role of data centres, with concerns over their impact on water and energy supplies, as well as disruption to local communities. The New South Wales government had announced a fast-track programme for data centres, but this did not sway the decision to scrap the project.
A local politician, Anthony Roberts, described the decision as a
