South Dublin County Council grants permission for data centre at Grange Castle Business Park, Nangor Road, Co. Dublin

In context

It is one of 3 data centre applications South Dublin County Council has received in the past twelve months, against 3 nationally. 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 21 July 2026. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

Demolition of existing single storey vacant house, garage and outhouse (total gross floor area (GFA) c.291.2sq.m) and removal of existing temporary construction car park; Construction of a single 1-4 storey Central Administration Building and 2 2-storey (with mezzanine) data centres (DUB14 & DUB15) all to be located west of data centres DUB9, DUB10, DUB12 & DUB13 within the MS campus; The Central Administration Building (c.6.03m to c.19.85m high) will comprise central office administration, with staff cafeteria, staff gym and reception (GFA c.3,520sq.m), with provision of PV panels on the roof; each data centre (c.15.6m high to parapet height and c.18.65m to top of roof plant) will include data halls, admin blocks (comprising offices, canteen, loading dock, storage and ancillary areas) and a variety of mechanical and electrical plant areas/structures including Modular Electrical Rooms (MERs), battery rooms and transformer areas. GFA of DUB14 is c.28,072sq.m and GFA of DUB15 is c.28,173sq.m (c.56,246sq.m in total); DUB14 will also include 21 diesel generators and associated sub-stations (E-houses) and 11 mechanical flues (each c.30.75m high); Provision of a gas generator compound (to serve DUB15) containing 20 generators, 5 E-houses and 5 flues (c.25m max height); Provision of a Gas Networks Ireland gas skid including 3 kiosk buildings; Expansion of existing electrical sub-station compound (originally granted under SD07A/0632) to provide 3 additional transformer bays. 3 E-houses and 1 control room, 2 auxiliary transformers; 2 sprinkler tank and pump house areas, 1 additional rainwater harvesting plant; Provision of 168 permanent car parking spaces and 40 cycle parking spaces; Provision of additional western access to the MS campus (to serves the Central Administration Building) from the Business Park estate road (including bridge over the Griffeen River) with existing temporary access to be extinguished; Physical integration with the remainder of the existing MS campus (including internal access roads and landscaping) with associated modifications to the western boundary of the DUB09/DUB10/DUB12/DUB13 data centre development as permitted under SD16A/0088; Provision of a new temporary construction car park (with 802 car spaces, shuttle bus stop and shelter) on site north of the main entrance to the business park; Total gross floor area of the development will be c.59,766sq.m; All associated site development works, drainage and services provision, landscaping, boundary treatments (including security fencing) and associated works; An Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) has been submitted with this application; The application relates to a development which comprises an activity requiring an integrated pollution prevention and control (IE) licence.