Proposed data centre in Drogheda could impact Ireland's climate goals, An Taisce says

Gordon Deegan

Approving a new large-scale data centre on a site near Drogheda in Co Louth “would further compromise” the State's ability to comply with carbon budget limits, according to An Taisce.

The conservation and heritage charity called on Louth County Council to refuse Premier Pericase Ltd (PPL) planning permission for the data centre project as part of a mixed use industrial campus at Boyne Avenue, Newtownstalaban, Drogheda.

Sean O’Callaghan, a planning officer with An Taisce, and Phoebe Duvall, a senior planning and environmental policy officer, told the council that granting permission “would facilitate a breach of the emissions reduction obligations under the Climate Act”.

However, in planning documents lodged with the application, planning consultants the PM Group told the council that proposed regeneration of the site would “represent a major improvement in the overall industrial carbon emissions for the county and for the region”.

They contend that the first phase of energy infrastructure and data centre development would “act as a catalyst for the wider redevelopment of the overall landholding for a mix of high technology, manufacturing, and commercial uses, based on a local energy and heat network on site”.

PPL has operated a magnesia and magnesium hydroxide production facility at the site and production was scaled back due to the extreme rises in the price of gas resulting from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

PPL is planning to open its new campus by 2028.

However, objector Colin Doyle told the council that the development would add to the unsustainable growth in power demand from the data centre sector, which greatly exceeds the rate of deployment of renewables.

Protect East Meath told the council that it had a number of concerns about the proposal to demolish the existing Premier Periclase factory and build a data centre, gas-fired power generation plant, battery storage facility and associated works.

Protect East Meath said they were “particularly concerned that this project would lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions which would exceed the State’s carbon budget and sectoral emissions ceilings and/or prevent it complying with those emissions limits”.

A number of submissions have also been lodged in support of the campus.

Trevor Connolly, chief executive of Love Drogheda Business Improvement District, said “the repurposing and modernisation of the Premier Periclase site will eliminate long standing blight, replacing it with a visually appealing and thoughtfully designed campus”.

Mr Connolly said that “by bringing economic activity back to this site, the redevelopment will create numerous employment opportunities for residents with an opportunity for future growth, diversification and enterprise on this site”.

Stuart Jackson of Flaxton Ltd, which owns a site adjoining the PPL site, told the council that “given the significant financial investment that the new owners intend to make if the planning application is successful, it is likely that the regeneration of the PPL site will act as a powerful catalyst for the growth of Drogheda.

A decision is due on the application next month.