A major data centre proposed for an industrial site off Bushmead Road in Hazelmere is open for public comment, with submissions closing next month.
CDC Data Centres has lodged a development application (DA-386/2026) for a four-storey facility up to 36.5 metres high at Lots 1 and 82 (178-196) Bushmead Road. The building would have a total floor area of about 85,945 square metres, including warehouse and office space, along with 87 parking bays, internal roads for heavy vehicles, landscaping, drainage, waste treatment areas, generators and chiller plants. It would operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, though most activity would occur in standard business hours, with a maximum of 75 people on site at any time. A future electrical substation is identified but is not part of this application.
The application will be decided by the Metro Outer Development Assessment Panel because of the scale of the works. The City of Swan is preparing a Responsible Authority Report that will include its recommendation and community submissions.
CDC, an Australian company that has operated data centres for more than 19 years, says the site was chosen because it is already zoned industrial, has access to services and transport, and would minimise impacts on nearby communities. The company says the centre would provide local, secure data capacity for government and essential services in Western Australia and nationally. It claims the project would create hundreds of jobs during construction and ongoing skilled employment, while supporting local training opportunities. CDC says its facilities match 100 per cent of power use with renewable electricity and use a closed-loop water recirculation system that does not consume water for cooling servers. It has also stated that operational noise at the nearest residences (on Mary Street) is expected to be comparable with typical suburban background levels, and that it will fund necessary power infrastructure upgrades so household supplies are not affected.
Community concerns have already been raised, and a petition has been launched calling for thorough independent assessment and meaningful consultation before any decision. Opponents point to potential noise from continuous cooling systems, mechanical plant and backup generators (including testing), especially at night; loss of native vegetation that provides habitat for threatened species such as black cockatoos and snake-necked turtles; electricity and infrastructure demands; traffic and construction impacts on Bushmead Road; and broader cumulative effects of industrialisation in the area. Groups including Trillion Trees, the Woodbridge Ratepayers Association and the Lower Helena Association have been involved in early discussions. CDC has responded that it is investigating wildlife impacts and will work with stakeholders, and that its design includes acoustic protections and heat-management measures.
The proposal comes months after a separate, larger data centre application by GreenSquareDC on a different Hazelmere site (near Stirling Crescent, closer to the Helena River and a school) was withdrawn following nearly 1,900 public submissions, most opposing it, and a City of Swan staff recommendation against approval largely on noise grounds from emergency generators. That history has heightened local scrutiny of data centre proposals in the area. The City of Swan has also moved to develop a local planning policy to guide assessment of future data centre applications.
Residents and other interested parties can review documents and make submissions on the City of Swan’s engagement platform until 5pm on Thursday, 5 November 2026. Comments will be included in the report considered by the assessment panel.
Have your say:
https://swanengage.swan.wa.gov.au/da-3862026-proposed-data-centre
Additional project information is available on CDC’s website at https://cdc.com.au/locations/perth/hazelmere/. For council inquiries, contact the City of Swan on (08) 9267 9267.
