In the quiet streets of Hazelmere, a suburb sandwiched between the Swan River and the bustling outskirts of Perth, locals had grown used to the hum of routine. But in 2026 the ground shifted when GreenSquareDC announced a $600 million data‑center proposal for the area. The plan faced significant community resistance. Within weeks, 1890 submissions flooded the planning portal, and 1829 of those were explicitly opposed. This level of engagement demonstrated the community's strong reaction to the proposal.
Just as the dust seemed to settle from GreenSquareDC’s withdrawal, a new player stepped onto the stage. Canberra Data Centres unveiled a $337 million proposal for a data center on the same eastern fringe of Perth. The figure was smaller than the previous proposal, but the essential question remained: would the community accept another massive server farm in their backyard? The timing was uncanny: on 2026‑10‑15, the public consultation for Canberra Data Centres’ plan opened on the very day GreenSquareDC pulled the plug on its earlier application.
[15.10.2026] Instagram Story UPDATE — perthppe #PerthTanapon #KDPPE https://t.co/UEIquqcxE1
The simultaneous opening of consultation meant that Hazelmere residents were asked to consider two proposals in quick succession. The date 2026‑10‑15 thus became a pivot point: a day when the community could voice concerns about the $600 million proposal that had just been withdrawn, and immediately confront the $337 million reality taking its place. The overlapping nature of these developments created a unique situation for residents evaluating both projects.
Nearly 1830 submissions were cast as opposition, a proportion that suggests the community has strong reservations about data center development.
Hazelmere residents have been labelled “critical” by the framing matrix, and the numbers confirm the depth of their engagement. Nearly 1830 submissions were cast as opposition, a proportion that suggests the community has strong reservations about data center development. The critical stance reflects concerns about the impact of such facilities on the local area.
Canberra Data Centres, for its part, carries a “neutral” tag in the stakeholder matrix. The company must navigate the same resident anxieties that once stalled GreenSquareDC. By presenting a smaller project than its predecessor, Canberra Data Centres appears to be attempting a different approach to community engagement.
As the consultation period continues, the outcome remains uncertain. The brief supplies no verdict, only the facts: two proposals, two sets of numbers, one date that saw both a withdrawal and a new opening. The Hazelmere saga illustrates how a modest suburb can become an unexpected arena for the clash between global tech ambition and local community concerns—an arena where the David of community resistance can temporarily stay the Goliath of data‑center expansion, but the battle’s final chapter remains very much unwritten.