Echelon Data Centres is an Irish company that owns and operates large-scale data centre infrastructure. Its facilities are developed to meet the demands for Cloud & AI data centres.

Echelon’s data centres are responsibly designed, sustainably powered and will benefit from the company’s investment in renewable and alternative power sources.

These are facilities that are built and operated sustainably and ethically, recognising their responsibilities to the people and partners who work with them, the communities in which they are located, the society they are a part of, and the planet that everyone shares.

A preapp meeting was held with the Local Planning Authority to share the vision of the development and seek feedback on the early concept. This engagement allowed us to develop the proposal to best align with the context of the local area.

As a result of questions and concerns from the community however, we are pleased to be able to provide as much information, detail and clarification as possible (via this online information resource) to address those questions and concerns.
We remain committed to listening and accommodating the needs of the communities in which we operate.

The Irish data centre sector encourages high levels of inward investment from some of the very largest global players in tech, e-commerce, social media and other fields. Ireland – and the world – needs data centre capacity, to allow society to continue to enjoy the benefits of modern technology as well as driving economic growth.

Echelon’s data centre facilities have been called the model for future data centre development in Ireland – and they will deliver jobs and economic benefits for Kilmeaden and the wider Co Waterford area., whilst being designed directly pto romote renewable energy investment.

The Technology Park will create significant job opportunities both at construction phases and when the facilities are operational. There will also be significant indirect employment opportunities created by the development.

Echelon’s DUB20 development in Arklow, which is comparable to our proposal for Kilmeaden, is expected to support 4,000 – 5,000 jobs (both directly and indirectly), during construction and once the facility is fully operational.

During the peak construction phases of the Technology Park there will be around 750 people directly employed on the site and 100 permanent jobs when the Technology Park is fully operational.

The overall development will also deliver further significant long-term employment within the retail / commercial, and community uses proposed in the village centre. This will include:

• 20 staff in the Community Cantre
• 12 staff in the retail units
• 5 people employed in the café
• 10 staff members at the gym
• 20 jobs at the Health Centre
• 10 people employed by the pharmacy
• 30 staff in the crèche
• 20 jobs in the supermarket

The development will not result in any impact on the availability of power to local towns and communities.

The Kilmeaden data centre is in an area of unconstrained grid supply and will feature an energy centre that can supply power to the grid and thereby support security of supply. The development also includes a significant element of onsite renewable energy generation in the form of a solar farm, and a battery energy storage system to provide for energy storage and to improve flexibility.

As Ireland decarbonises its national grid and more of our energy comes from wind and solar, energy centres such as this provide back-up for when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Energy centres such as this help us make the transition to clean energy.

The data centre is in line with the criteria set down by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in its 2021 directive to the grid operators in relation to data centre connections and should also comply with new CRU guidance on grid connections to be published later in 2025.

The development is proposed for the site of the former Kilmeaden Cheese Factory, which ceased production in 2005, ceased other operations in 2013 and was subsequently demolished. The site is, and has been for many years, primarily an industrial site and in that context, this development is wholly suitable.

The Waterford City and County Development Plan contains the following Specific Development Objectives which apply to the site:

• KLMDO1 – It is an objective of the Council to facilitate and encourage the development of new industrial/ enterprise/ employment uses on this site which do not detract from the amenity of the existing village. The lands shall be primarily developed for industrial /employment uses and limited consideration may be given to residential development on the lands fronting onto the R680 Road. The Council shall seek the provision of a new focal point to the village centre and enhancement of the visual appearance of the Main Street. Particular regard to be had to the visual impact when viewed from the R680, permeability through the site and its relationship with the existing village core. A streetscape shall be created along the north-eastern boundary. Any industrial units shall be of a high standard design and finish and any layout shall have due regard to non –compatible adjoining land uses.
• KLMDO3 – The Council shall facilitate the development of enterprise units at a scale appropriate to Kilmeaden village. A high standard of architectural design and finish shall be required.

The proposed development can provide for a significant employment/industrial/enterprise use within and in close proximity to Kilmeaden. There will be a high standard of architectural finish to the development, which will also include linkages to the existing residential areas and will deliver a high-quality streetscape and public realm.

The visual impact of the development has been considered in detail with significant setting back of commercial and energy related uses from the site boundaries. A full Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment was submitted with the planning application.

In keeping with specific objective KLMDO1, the primary use proposed relates to the technology park, which will accommodate industrial / employment related uses, and ancillary energy infrastructure.

The proposed development introduces the concept of a 15-minute neighbourhood within Kilmeaden, with local employment opportunities (provided within an ‘energy park’ setting), village infrastructure, significant new public open spaces and biodiversity zones, and housing development.

This allows the creation of a live/work community, may reduce outward commuting from Kilmeaden to Waterford City, and could foster significant economic growth for the local area and the wider county.

The layout of the development takes inti account adjoining land uses which would not be suited to having employment or energy related uses in close proximity. For this reason, significant setbacks are provided (with large new tracts of public open space and parkland) to separate employment from local residential and village centre uses.

The integration of energy generation and ICT facility buildings into the overall development allows for the sustainable re-use of waste heat within the proposed village centre and residential areas, allowing for the supply of low carbon energy and heat.

The proposed solar farm and battery storage compound to the southwest are on lands which are not subject to any particular zoning objective, but which were previously used for processes associated with the former Kilmeaden factory. Given their previous use, and their orientation and proximity to a proposed industrial development, they are particularly well suited to contribute to renewable energy generation.

The plan is to develop both the technology park and the new town centre in parallel.
Kent Homes and Echelon Data Centres have submitted a planning application which covers all aspects of this development. We believe it is a new model for data centre developments in Ireland – one which will deliver social and economic benefits.

The centre is in a regional location, it will support the national grid, and it will provide much-needed jobs, investment, housing and civic amenities for the people of Kilmeaden and Waterford. The development as a whole will be built out on a phased basis.

The development proposal includes roads and access upgrades to ensure the development itself can be safely accessed. It also includes upgrades to pedestrian and cycle infrastructure along the site boundaries connecting to the village centre, in line with planning policy and infrastructure standards for sustainable transport measures.

Yes – the development includes an open games area, public parks and significant landscaping. The proposal provides for green open spaces, and a proposed green trail extending from the village centre to the southeast of the Technology Park. Berming and tree planting are proposed on all sides of the Technology Park. A walking and cycling trail extends from the village centre to the southeast of the technology park.

The village centre also encompasses a new community centre which will deliver additional indoor recreational / community space for the village.

Yes – no change is proposed to the development policy or plan.

The compliance of the development with Development Plan policy is set out within the submitted planning report, and where relevant within the other planning reports and documents, including the detailed Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

The proposal itself presents a masterplan approach to the overall site. The planning application outlines the concept for a holistic and circular development which brings social, economic and environmental benefits to Kilmeaden Village with the colocation of critical IT infrastructure and energy assets.

The development is set to be delivered on a phased basis with village and community assets delivered in the early phases as outlined in the application. The image below was submitted as part of the planning application.

The proposal is fully aligned with the principles set out in the Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy which lay the foundations for the sustainable development of data centres with a particular focus on responsible energy, economic benefits and value creation at the community level.

It is also in line with the criteria set down by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in its 2021 directive to the grid operators in relation to data centre grid connections and also complies with proposed new CRU guidance on grid connections for Large Energy Users (LEUs) to be published later in 2025.

The energy centres on Echelon’s sites are a mandatory under the CRU’s policy and will only operate as a last resort to guarantee grid security in the region. EirGrid will have the capability to dispatch this generation to meet local, regional and national grid needs, as well as to support a greater volume of renewable energy projects to connect to the grid.

As Ireland decarbonises its national grid and more of our energy comes from wind and solar, energy centres such as this provide back-up for when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Energy centres such as this help us make the transition to clean energy and are aligned with the government’s Climate Action Plan 2025 (CAP). The CAP has a specific target to deliver 2,000 MW of new flexible gas plant capacity to meet the country’s carbon reduction target in electricity generations by 2030.

In the short term, the energy centres will be powered by gas, although they will not be ‘always on’. In the medium term, we expect to be able to fuel the energy centres with biogas, or green hydrogen should it be available.

As Ireland decarbonises its national grid and more of our energy comes from wind and solar, energy centres such as this provide back-up for when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Energy centres such as this help us make the transition to clean energy.
 
In the government’s Climate Action Plan 2025 (CAP) there is a specific target to deliver 2,000 MW of new flexible gas plant capacity to meet the country’s carbon reduction target in electricity generations by 2030.

There is capacity in all the utility networks to support the requirements of this development.

• The initial site technical studies have identified the location as ideal due to its proximity to the national transmission grid.
• The impact to the water infrastructure will be mitigated by our exemplar water efficient design.
• The planned development will actually reinforce the wider utility infrastructure in the region and add new utilities like district heating to the new village centre with capability to extent to the wider community.

However, in line with the criteria set down by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in its 2021 directive to the grid operators in relation to data centre grid connections, the development will include an energy centre that is capable of meeting the energy needs of the data centre, as well as dispatching energy to the grid, should it be required.

There will be no significant impacts from air pollution as a result of this development. A detailed air quality modelling exercise was undertaken to inform the design of the development, and this is reflected in the assessment of air quality within the submitted Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

There will be no significant impacts from noise pollution as a result of this development. A detailed noise modelling exercise was undertaken to inform the design of the development, and this is reflected in noise assessment within the submitted Environmental Impact Assessment Report.

The noise chapter of the EIAR includes a detailed assessment of noise impacts during construction and operational stages, and details appropriate mitigation measures to avoid negative impacts.

During the construction phase of the project, there will be an increase in vehicles and plant accessing the site, however this will be for a defined period only as set out by the construction phases.

When the site is operational there will be some increase in traffic volumes to and from the site, but as outlined in the detailed traffic and transport impact assessment, included as part of the application, there will be no significant impacts arising from the development once operational.

Road and access upgrades are proposed to align with planning policy and design standards.

There will be no significant impacts from light pollution as a result of this development, however the application includes a detailed lighting layout and lighting report.

No significant visual impact or ‘glint/glare’ issue will be occasioned by this development. A detailed glint and glare report and landscape and visual impact assessment form part of the planning application, and mitigation has been achieved via the appropriate siting and orientation of solar panels and buildings within the site.

A biodiversity assessment has been carried out for the site and no significant risk has been identified. A detailed biodiversity chapter forms part of the EIAR, and a Natura Impact Statement has been submitted, which set out mitigation to ensure the protection of local biodiversity.

The development itself includes significant areas of open space with extensive native tree planting, and rewilding areas for integration and improvement of the biodiversity within and around the site.

No – data centre developments such as these do not pose a risk to watercourses, however the EIAR includes a detailed assessment of local surface and groundwater, and mitigation measures are provided to ensure pollution does not occur.

There are no risks to human health associated with this development, however the EIAR includes a detailed assessment of population and human health, with appropriate mitigation provided where relevant.