Plans for a multibillion-dollar data centre in Sydney have taken a significant step forward after land for the project was secured.<\/p>\n
Macquarie Technology has splashed out $240m on a parcel of land for the ambitious project, which will add a fourth data centre to its existing campus.<\/p>\n
The $3bn investment will build a new centre on a 34,200sq m site in Sydney\u2019s northern suburbs, between Talavera Rd and the M2 motorway at Macquarie Park.<\/p>\n
The tech giant hopes the project will be completed in late 2029, but it will need to go through the full planning process with local authorities.<\/p>\n
Group executive David Hirst told the Australian Financial Review that projects like this were vital to help protect the data of Australian citizens.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe modern world doesn\u2019t run without compute infrastructure. The most responsible place for it to be is inside a data centre,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll those applications that we use today, if we don\u2019t put them inside sovereign Australian data centres today, then they\u2019ll be consumed or built offshore \u2013 and then we have no control.\u201d<\/p>\n
A statement from the organisation published through the Australian Stock Exchange confirmed further details of the project.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new campus will support research, technology and learning opportunities in conjunction with Macquarie University,\u201d it reads. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe company intends to continue its successful campus-style approach with initial construction estimated to be completed in late calendar year 2029, subject to planning and other approvals.\u201d<\/p>\n
As part of the development, the company has also pledged to create a half-hectare park within the campus by converting a \u201cneglected\u201d industrial site.<\/p>\n
The park will include a new outdoor art gallery that would incorporate the work of local university students.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis significant contribution to the community reflects Macquarie\u2019s 16-year record of contribution to the City of Ryde communities by supporting early childhood literacy, career planning for high school students and university graduate pathways,\u201d the statement adds. <\/p>\n
While its existing data centres are mainly used by banks, hospitals and governments for data processing, the new centre could also be used to train AI models.<\/p>\n
Macquarie operates six data centres \u2013 two in Canberra and four in Sydney, including one in the city\u2019s CBD and three at Macquarie Park.<\/p>\n