‘We just don’t want them’: hundreds gather in a Kildare town over data centre plans
Residents in Naas, County Kildare, are protesting against the construction of a large data centre campus due to concerns over noise pollution and environmental impact. The project, approved by local planners, is currently facing an appeal process.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing tension between digital infrastructure expansion and local community quality-of-life concerns, particularly regarding energy consumption and noise.
T here was a collective gasp in the room when a map on a projector showed the size of the area in Naas that might experience an audible hum if a planned data centre campus is built in the Co Kildare town.
He was one of more than 200 people who showed up to a public meeting on Thursday night about plans to build large data centres in the area.
People who live more than 2km away from a data centre in Clondalkin, west Dublin, have lodged complaints about noise levels, with some saying they can’t sleep.
Clondalkin is a cautionary tale, the crowd is told. It’s too late for them, but not for Naas.
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