Wicklow County Council refuses permission for data centre at Mountkennedy Demesne & Tinnapark, Co. Wicklow

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 30 July 2024. If no appeal is lodged, the council’s decision stands and a final grant issues.

The development description, as lodged

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

Section 42(1) on PRR 10/2123 (access road from the south western roundabout of the Ballyronan interchange to the site entrance. The road continues northward for an additional c 0.3km terminating in a cul de sac formed by bollards at its junction with the laneway located at the northern site boundaries (total road length c 1.1km). The proposed road will include a two way cycle track and a footpath and will involve restoration / modification of the existing Demesne wall; closure of the existing left in / left out access to Mountkennedy House (protected structure) off the N.11. Access will be provided to the existing laneway directly from the proposed access road, 10 no identical two storey Data Centre units each measuring c 10,915 sqm gross. The ground floor of each unit comprises plant areas, storage, workshops, reception / lobby, office space, inspection area, breakroom, internal loading areas and circulation space. The first floor of each unit comprises a net technical area, offices, ancillary plant, storage and circulation space. Each Data Centre unit will also have an ancillary service yard that will incorporate a sprinkler tank, a pump house, an MV switchroom, ESB switch rooms, electrical transformers enclosed within a post and wire mesh fence and a fuel storage tank, an auxillary cooling compound located to thee rear of each building and adjacent to the service yard, an enclosed electrical compound located centrally along the southern site boundary providing for a future step down transformer from the existing 220/110kv overhead power line, a primary dry cooling compound in area housing dry cooling units located to the west of the site; 3 no heat exchanger buildings located on site at the south west corner, north west corner and to the south of the site entrance at the eastern boundary, 250 car parking spaces including 40 electric car parking spaces and 20 disabled car parking spaces; a temporary waste water treatment plant and percolation area located centrally within the site; 1 main security hut located at the site entrance and 10 individual security huts located at the entrance to each individual Data Centre unit; landscape berming and additional planting at the site boundaries; all ancillary site developments works. The proposed development comprises or is for the purposes of an activity that may require an Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Licence and has a total gross floor area of 111,228 sqm)