Sydney councils fear new datacentres could cause blackouts, block housing and affect locals’ health

In submissions to the NSW datacentre inquiry, several councils have raised concerns about health, environmental and amenity impacts on their communities as the industry rapidly expands. Photograph: Steven Markham/AAP

Datacentre developments are crowding out opportunities for housing and job-rich industries across Sydney, a New South Wales inquiry has heard, with one local council reporting a rise in blackouts linked to the industry’s expansion.

Several Sydney councils, all facing an influx of datacentre developments, have raised concerns about the health, environmental and amenity impacts on their local communities in submissions to the state’s datacentre inquiry.