A proposed mega datacentre in Plumpton, about 30km north-west of Melbourne, is drawing community anger over its scale and potential environmental impact. The 350-hectare site, next to Melbourne’s renewable energy hub, would house four datacentre buildings on 140 hectares—nearly six times the size of Chadstone shopping centre—with a maximum capacity of 2.4GW, exceeding the output of Victoria’s largest power station.
Community concerns and petition
Residents learned of the project via letters from Syncline Energy or through social media. A petition started by Molly Walker, who lives over 250km away in the Grampians, calls for full assessment of the Victorian AI Hub and has gathered over 3,600 signatures. Local concerns include noise, electricity and water use, house price drops, and the location within a green wedge meant to be protected.
“Why are you putting this in our back yard?” asked Dr Karen Austria, a local civil designer and electrical engineer. She noted the western suburbs feel like “a dumping ground” for such developments.
Company response and planning
Syncline Energy managing director Phil Galloway said the company is consulting with neighbours before submitting a planning application, which will take at least a year. He emphasised that careful engineering, architecture, and urban planning will address noise, heat island, traffic, ecology, and pollution. The project aims to build sovereign AI capability, use solar, wind, and battery storage, and provide local jobs, a community fund, and walking and cycling paths.
“It would be insincere if we submitted a planning permit and then sought that input later,” Galloway said.
Political and regulatory backdrop
The city of Melton has clarified its limited role if the application goes to the state government. Local federal Labor MPs Alice Jordan-Baird and Sam Rae wrote to the Victorian government and Syncline, stating, “The west cannot simply become the destination for infrastructure that places additional strain on resources while delivering little in return.”
The Victorian premier Jacinta Allan called Melbourne the “key destination for datacentre investment.” The federal government is developing a framework requiring large-scale datacentres to underwrite new power supply and add as much energy to the grid as they take.
An April report by Data Centres Australia said Victoria had 30 operating datacentres with another 30 in the pipeline. A federal parliamentary inquiry into datacentres began in May, and a NSW inquiry is ongoing.
