Kildare County Council grants permission for data centre at Halverstown, Jigginstown and Newhall, Co. Kildare

In context

There were 3 nationally in the past twelve months. Of the 14 such applications decided by councils in the past three years, 86% were granted.

What happens next

The applicant, or anyone who made a submission on the application, can appeal the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of 20 August 2025. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

Verbatim from the Kildare County Council register. This is the source for every figure in the story above.

for a Data Centre and will comprise of: The demolition of 3 no. dwelling houses, associated garages and farm outbuildings / agricultural buildings (total floor area 1,591m2); The construction of 6 no. two storey data centre buildings, each with loading bays, external plant area including electrical and mechanical plant rooms, fuel compound, sprinkler tanks and associated ancillary development; Data centre building Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 will consist of: a data hall (24,756m2, overall height 19m), an administration block (2,505m2 overall height 15m) and include an external screened plant area of 18m in height and 6,164m2; Gas turbines, gas engine and battery energy storage systems will be provided within each plant area; Data centre building No. 5 will consist of: a data hall (24,756m2, overall height 19m), an administration block (2,505m2 overall height 15m) and include an external screened plant area of 18m in height and 6,375m2 in area and includes infrastructure for district heating; Gas turbines, gas engine and battery energy storage systems will be provided within the plant area; Adjacent to each data centre building will be a screened sprinkler tank compound (408m2 to 528 m2 in area) comprising of 3 no. above ground sprinkler pump containers, (1 no. 240m3 and 2 no. 268.8m3 containers) and a screened fuel compound (331m2 in area) comprising 1 no. 38m3 fuel pump container and 6 no. 64m3 tanks; and Solar panels with a total area of 3,600m2 will be provided on the roof of each data centre building and rainwater harvesting is included in the development. The proposed development of the Data Centre also comprises: A screened Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) compound (61m2 in area) with 1 no. kiosk (3m in height and 19.5m2 in area) with a biomethane gas injection point; A screened above Ground Installation (AGI) compound (1,753m2 in area) with 4 no. kiosks each of 3m in height and 51.5 m2 in area; A district heating building (5m in height and 341m2 in area) district heating plant and in ground piping for district heating system; Security hub building (4.1m in height and 42m2 in area) at main entrance to the proposed development; A single storey admin workshop/office (504m2 in area) and water treatment plant (315m2 in area) building (4.8m in height) and associated hydrant pump room (5m in height and 80m2 in area) and 2 no. hydrant pump room storage tanks (5m in height and c.251m3 in area); A new access/egress from the R409 and a new emergency access/egress from th