Mowbray Road Data Centre

The project will significant impact the already bad traffic on Mowbray Road. During the construction, the heavy vehicle will affect the residential area as well as the childcare centre. The construction will also affect the quality of living in the area. Once it is in operation, it will heavily impact the parking and traffic around this local community.

I object to aspects of this project. See attached submission

Traffic congestion

Hello,

As a resident of Lane Cove North Estate with a young family, the construction of a huge commercial data centre detracts from the family friendly feel of our residence. There is already significant traffic on Mowbray Road and further construction is dangerous for our children.

There is is a very good childcare locally (Possums Corner) which will be adversely affected.

Please see attached submission lodged on behalf of Owners Corporation SP66446.

Pls find attached submission file

On behalf of the Lane Cove North Estate we object to the project on many grounds. Please refer to the attached submission.

Please see attached. Thank you.

I declare that we have not made any reportable political donations in the last two years.
I acknowledge and accept the Department’s disclaimer and declaration.
I object to this development and the reasons for objection are detailed below.


I understand that the area is designated light industrial – but this proposed development goes well above that. It will have a significant impact on our community visually and mentally as it is being built AND then once complete, and the current design, will completely change the tone and feel of Mowbray Road.

I object to this development and the reasons for objection are detailed below.

1. The proposed over-development building; height, bulk, design and scale.
2. Loss of existing trees and visual tone of the street – 15 years is a long time to wait!
3. Construction impacts – trucks, safe sidewalk for kids and pedestrians.
4. Environmental impacts – air quality, noise, vibration and length of demolition and construction.

1. The proposed over-development building; height, bulk and scale.
The Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009 (LCLEP2009) has a height compliance of 18.0m, as far as I understand. At each point in the review process this has been proposed to be almost double this height – over 36m! Plus the building is proposed to be closer to the street and much higher the whole length of the building along the street so it will be even more imposing. This is unacceptable.

The architect design and tone of the building – looking more like a prison or metal box – will change the tone and feel of this end of Mowbray completely! It feels completely incompatible with the area and the visual impact on us as residents will be massive.

Looking at the appendix 8 – the visual impact on F, N, G, H and O is unacceptable. I do not see how this can be acceptable? And the view from N is down the bottom of the driveway and not at the stairs level as you either walk or drive out of the Estate.

Mowbray road is a residential area. Yes, there are older office and semi-industrial buildings on this site now, but these are hidden by trees or are low rise so do not impact the tone of the street.

Imaging everyday seeing this huge imposing structure as your view as you leave you home. It is menacing.

Why is this kind of building not restricted to full industrial sites like Lane Cove West – with no residential buildings to be impacted?


2. Loss of existing trees and visual tone of the street – 15 years is a long time to wait!

A lot of trees have been proposed to be cut down to make way for this building. In the visual impact report it says new trees will be planted along the roadway to grow cover the facade, but as residents NOW are we expected to wait 15 years to have the building softened and with no guarantee that the trees will infact be able to grow that high – particularly with the power lines.

I am not convinced by the proposal of tree planting or the assessment that this is a low/medium impact to this area.

The view existing our street was not included – as noted above and attached pics.

3. Construction impacts – trucks, safe sidewalk for kids and pedestrians.
My family and I, and MANY residents of this area use Mowbray Road to walk to school, catch the bus or simply for recreation. During demolition and construction (which is 2 years!) how will we be able to safely exit the Estate, walk up Mowbray Road or cross Mowbray Road?

I am scared and have serious safety concerns for my kids, with trucks zooming around that corner unable to see young children. What is in place for this?

The dangers of the construction itself – large equipment for demolition etc and how a clear footpath to walk on will be made?

And what is being done for the safety of pedestrians crossing Mowbray road to get to the bus to get to Chatswood (my daughter goes to Chatswood High School and catches the bus from Fitzsimmons street).

This is a serious risk to the safety of our community.

4. Environmental impacts – air quality, noise, vibration and length of demolition and construction.
We moved to this area as it is so close to the bush and despite being near Epping road is so quiet and clean. I am really concerned about the impact on our air quality, the noise and vibration of the project.

I live 1 Taylors Drive so very close to the construction. Assuming we will have to deal with daily for 2 years or more the sounds and vibration of construction clanging away. I have concerns for my children’s (and my) mental health and well-being during this time. Their ability to relax while at home and be able to concentrate while studying. This will be relentless.

I also assume that dust and debris will impact our health as it settles down the hill on and in our townhouse.

What is being done to reduce this?

Conclusion

I strongly object to this project. I believe this whole project is unsuitable for this location. As noted above, I not only have concerns for health & safety, the length of time of the demolition and construction, I worry this will impact the value of my property. Who will want to buy near this!?

Please help us and reject this development for Lane Cove North.

I absolutely object to this project in the strongest possible terms.
It is not in the public interest, at all.
It is nearly double the height allowed in planning/ zoning, it is much much higher than any building within hundreds of metres, it is a huge block of a building without any nice features or lines to soften the sheer scale, it completely overpowers the view along Mowbray Rd in both directions for the many cars that drive along this busy road, it includes the storage of thousands of litres of diesel, will create very few jobs, will remove at least 60 mature trees, and is completely out of character for the area.
A building of this height and scale should not be allowed in an area so close to low rise residential, especially a data centre with fire hazards and giant diesel tanks, all next to a community child care centre. It is completely out of character for the area and makes a mockery of planning laws and regulations and should not be approved.
Thank you

We are residents who live less than a hundred meters from the proposed project (Mowbray Road Data Centre, Application No: SSD-13475973, Loaction: 706 Mowbray Road, Lane Cove North ). For this significant project, our concern is our health. After the data centre is completed, will its radio waves, radiation and other factors have harmful effects on the surrounding residents? We hope that relevant departments can respond to our concerns

It will be better to repurpose the site for retail or health centre to meet the need of the residents.

While it is much appreciated that Microsoft has made a substantial effort to address the concerns of the community in relation to this project, there are some issues that need to be highlighted.
Truck movement during construction. Because of the proximity of Mowbray Public School and Possums Corner, day care centre, it is imperative that Truck Movement during construction be banned during the hours of 8am to 930 am and 230pm to 4pm on school days (i.e. During school pick -up times.)
Truck Movement during Construction:
Because of the proximity of the Mowbray Public School and Possums corner day care centre to the proposed development the following restrictions on truck movement during construction should apply:
-No Truck movement should be allowed during school pick-up times. i.e.
8am to 9.30 am and
2.30 pm to 4pm
On school days.
Also trucks should not be allowed to line up in the early hours of the morning waiting to be allowed on site. (This has happened in the past- trucks lined up from 4 am with engines running)

Working Hours during Construction
Because the proposed development is surrounded by residential areas the following working hours should apply:

- Monday to Friday 7am to 530 pm
- Jack Hammering allowed from 8am to 11am. With an hour break from 11 am to 12 noon. Then 12 noon to 3 pm with another hour break from 3 to 4 pm
- Saturday 8am to 12 noon. No Jack Hammering on Saturdays.
- No work allowed on Sundays and Public Holidays.

This arrangement was agreed with Lane Cove Council some years ago and has been applied to developments in the nearby Mowbray Precinct.
The breaks give the many people in the area who work from home some respite from the noise.

Guy Hallowes
President SBCRA
29A Johnston Crescent
Lane Cove
NSW 2066
Phone: 02 9428 5354
Mobile: 0458 198 989
e-mail: [email protected]

Construction Operating Hours. Because the area is surrounded by residential properties Construction hours should be limited as follows:

I am objecting to some aspects of the project. This project does not fit within current building guidelines. The negative impact on local residents especially during construction is unacceptable with respect to traffic flow, traffic congestion, and access to my property. Parking is a major issue during and also after construction. These issue have not been recognised in the development proposal and no solutions have been offered by the developers. The destruction of the local environs is unacceptable in my view and not mitigated in the proposal. Thanks

I am part of the Lane Cove North Estate, which has over 200 residences in a comparatively compact area. The available parking space for legitimate visitors and trades people is a fine balance and very limited. Street parking within the estate is not possible.
Unfortunately, it seems that our lives will be made intolerable for 2 or more years, by construction workers from the Data Centre stealing parking spaces from our 22 year old community.
Without iron clad and enforceable action to prevent this opportunistic intrusion into our homes, I strongly object to the construction of the Data Centre.

See attachment please

This project will affect our way of living, access to public transport, public education, the value of our property and our health, as well as the health of children that go to the childcare next to the constrction site, while in construction and during its operation.

We object to this development and the reasons for objection are detailed below.
1. Context
It is acknowledged that the proposed Data Centre site is in a light industrial IN2 zone and the development is a permissible use under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021. An over-development is not.
The proposed over-development of the site, the loss of urban visual amenity and the impact of demolition and construction works on the immediate community are of grave concern. In our opinion these have not be adequately addressed in the applicants’ submission and we do not believe there are enforceable safeguards to protect the community during all phases of the project.
Our primary objections relate to,
• We assert that the Traffic and Transport Assessment Report is fundamentally flawed and cannot be allowed to stand because significant parking issues both long term and during construction have been omitted.
• The proposed over-development building; height, bulk and scale.
• Loss of urban visual amenity and existing trees [65%].
• A strong reliance on future landscape to mitigate the built form in 15 years time, with no guarantee.
• Construction impacts; truck movements.
• Environmental impacts – air quality, noise, and vibration during construction.
• Traffic congestion and pedestrian impacts.

2. Building Height
Throughout the design and consultation process the proponent has not presented a complying scheme in accordance with the Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009 (LCLEP2009). It is evident that Microsoft never had any intention to comply with the 18.0m height control. The resultant impact of the over development being a significant loss of urban visual amenity, loss of existing vegetation and a significant commercial floor space advantage to Microsoft.
The proposed maximum building height for the Data Centre is 29.695m being a numerical exceedance of 11.695m represented at 66.47%.
The proposed development has utilised clause 4.6 - Exceptions to development standards and has been submitted a written request in the form of a Clause 4.6 Variation Request at Appendix 27 of the supporting documentation. The scale of the proposed Data Centre as submitted is not in the local resident community’s public interest. As with the Demolition Works DA170/2021, the submission fails to address specific Management Plans to provide the community any confidence that the proponent or their contractor will implement appropriate safe-guards that are enforceable.
3. Compatibility of the Data Centre land-use and local impacts
Zone objective of ‘To minimise any adverse effect of industry on other land uses’.
The LCNE Village objects on the following basis,
To the immediate east of the site are other light industrial land uses and to the immediate west of the site is a childcare centre as well as other industrial land uses further west. Although the surrounding buildings to the east and west are also light industrial in nature, it is worth noting that these existing buildings are well within the maximum allowable building height defined in LCLEP2009.
Directly across the road from the development site is a residential zone being R2 Low Density Residential Zone which mainly consists of single storey dwellings. Less than 100m from the site is the Lane Cove North Estate which is also a residential zone being R2 Low Density Residential Zone comprising 202 apartments and townhouses.
4. Urban Visual Impact
The visual montages and Visual Impact Assessment demonstrate that the architectural bulk & scale will create an unacceptable visual impact due to the building height and relationship of the building to Mowbray Road at the eastern elevation. This is further exacerbated by the significant removal of existing vegetation at the eastern end of the site under the proposed scheme.
The proposed Data Centre to the Mowbray Road West and Mowbray Road has a maximum height of 25.08m, a 7.08m exceedance represented at 39.33%. This will cause adverse visual impacts and relies heavily on a mature landscape (which will not eventuate for 15 years) to mitigate the impact to adjoining residential areas.
The twin junctions of Mowbray Road West and Mowbray Road, and Mowbray Road West are used by residents from the LCNE Village by foot, bicycle, motorbike, car and parents with prams as the main access to the LCNE Village. It also used by residents who have children that attend the childcare centre which adjoins the development site. In addition to this, Mowbray Road West is utilised by pedestrians from the LCNE Village to access the bus stops on either side of Mowbray Road, with one bus stop located directly opposite the development site. There is also a pedestrian link on the eastern end of 706 Mowbray Road that links to the bus stop on Epping Road to the city.
Mowbray Road is currently filled with street trees on both sides providing an aesthetically pleasing streetscape along the street frontages. The removal of all but two (2) mature trees to the street Mowbray Road frontages is alarming. The loss of vegetative screening will expose the built form, especially an over-development as proposed. The Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment at Appendix 8, under Section 7 of the report acknowledges ‘that there will be noticeable impact to the existing site character along Mowbray Road, with a magnitude of change of moderate to high impacts’.
This same report also analysed 15 viewpoints named from A through to O, in and around the development site. The relevant viewpoints for the residents of the LCNE Village are viewpoints F (Mowbray Road West), Viewpoint G (Mowbray Road) and O (Mowbray Road – near bus stop) and Viewpoints N (4 Taylors Drive, Lane Cove North). Although Viewpoints N is said to have a negligible impact, the other viewpoints are still considered as important due to the reasons mentioned above which include current site access, bus stops and recreational activities utilised by the residents of the LCNE Village. These uses are supported by the Traffic and Parking Impact Assessment at Appendix 11 which states in section 1.2.1 that Mowbray Road has various public and active transport links.
For Viewpoints F, G and O it details that the current view will have a high magnitude of change and will be fundamentally altered by the proposed development. The report concluded that overall road users, pedestrians and cyclists will be impacted at a low level (including the assessment of other roads). The LCNE Village disagrees and consider these to be a high magnitude of change moderate to high impact.
It is worth noting that the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment did not take viewpoints from Taylors Drive which is the primary entry/exit point from the LCNE Village.
5. Landscape
The Arborist Report - Appendix 12 - details that 65 trees will be removed across the development site, representing @60% of the mature trees. It is noted that the overall development will only be providing 17.46% of landscaped area which is below the minimum 20% requirement as described within the Development Control Plan (DCP) Compliance table under section E.9 Landscaping at Appendix 1.
Of key importance is the screening of the proposed Data Centre – eastern elevation. The proposal does not allow for any landscape screening to the eastern boundary and combined with substantial tree removal leaves the building façade highly exposed. An objective of Section E.9 of the Lane Cove DCP 2009 is for the ‘screening unsightly land uses and providing a buffer between industrial development and other land uses’. This has not been achieved and we request that a landscape buffer be included and/or a high level of architectural articulation be required of the proponent.
We assert that the proponent has failed to adequately address the zone objective as the basis of the Clause 4.6 Variation Request. The proposal diminishes the visual amenity; the landscape is critical to mitigating the bulk and scale of the architecture with the end result not delivering an exemplar outcome that enhances the local amenity, but rather detracts from the existing amenity.

6. The Traffic and Transport Assessment Report
The Traffic and Transport Assessment Report has carefully avoided identifying the major parking impacts, both permanent and during construction.
• It avoids mentioning the parking studies which it has undertaken.
• In its list of agency responses (Section 1.3) it fails to identify that Lane Cove Council stated:
“It is recommended that a Traffic and Parking assessment be submitted as part of the proposed development documentation.”
Given that street parking is already a critical issue in the vicinity of 706 Mowbray Road, as illustrated in Appendix A, we assert that the proponent intends to use the visitors parking of the LCNE Village for overflow parking during construction and on a permanent basis.
This may explain why the proponent has omitted its assessment of parking adjacent to 706 Mowbray Road from its Assessment Report.
We assert that The Traffic and Transport Assessment Report is fundamentally flawed and cannot be allowed to stand.

7. Construction Parking
.... due to limited number of characters allowed in this comments box, please refer to the completed submission in the attached documents

This project affects us during construction as well as after as it will impact on our health and property values due to risks that may be created during operations. Please see attached documentation with more details

We object to this development and the reasons for objection are detailed below.
1. Context
It is acknowledged that the proposed Data Centre site is in a light industrial IN2 zone and the development is a permissible use under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Transport and Infrastructure) 2021. An over-development is not.
The proposed over-development of the site, the loss of urban visual amenity and the impact of demolition and construction works on the immediate community are of grave concern. In our opinion these have not be adequately addressed in the applicants’ submission and we do not believe there are enforceable safeguards to protect the community during all phases of the project.
Our primary objections relate to,
• We assert that the Traffic and Transport Assessment Report is fundamentally flawed and cannot be allowed to stand because significant parking issues both long term and during construction have been omitted.
• The proposed over-development building; height, bulk and scale.
• Loss of urban visual amenity and existing trees [65%].
• A strong reliance on future landscape to mitigate the built form in 15 years time, with no guarantee.
• Construction impacts; truck movements.
• Environmental impacts – air quality, noise, and vibration during construction.
• Traffic congestion and pedestrian impacts.

2. Building Height
Throughout the design and consultation process the proponent has not presented a complying scheme in accordance with the Lane Cove Local Environmental Plan 2009 (LCLEP2009). It is evident that Microsoft never had any intention to comply with the 18.0m height control. The resultant impact of the over development being a significant loss of urban visual amenity, loss of existing vegetation and a significant commercial floor space advantage to Microsoft.
The proposed maximum building height for the Data Centre is 29.695m being a numerical exceedance of 11.695m represented at 66.47%.
The proposed development has utilised clause 4.6 - Exceptions to development standards and has been submitted a written request in the form of a Clause 4.6 Variation Request at Appendix 27 of the supporting documentation. The scale of the proposed Data Centre as submitted is not in the local resident community’s public interest. As with the Demolition Works DA170/2021, the submission fails to address specific Management Plans to provide the community any confidence that the proponent or their contractor will implement appropriate safe-guards that are enforceable.
3. Compatibility of the Data Centre land-use and local impacts
Zone objective of ‘To minimise any adverse effect of industry on other land uses’.
The LCNE Village objects on the following basis,
To the immediate east of the site are other light industrial land uses and to the immediate west of the site is a childcare centre as well as other industrial land uses further west. Although the surrounding buildings to the east and west are also light industrial in nature, it is worth noting that these existing buildings are well within the maximum allowable building height defined in LCLEP2009.
Directly across the road from the development site is a residential zone being R2 Low Density Residential Zone which mainly consists of single storey dwellings. Less than 100m from the site is the Lane Cove North Estate which is also a residential zone being R2 Low Density Residential Zone comprising 202 apartments and townhouses.
4. Urban Visual Impact
The visual montages and Visual Impact Assessment demonstrate that the architectural bulk & scale will create an unacceptable visual impact due to the building height and relationship of the building to Mowbray Road at the eastern elevation. This is further exacerbated by the significant removal of existing vegetation at the eastern end of the site under the proposed scheme.
The proposed Data Centre to the Mowbray Road West and Mowbray Road has a maximum height of 25.08m, a 7.08m exceedance represented at 39.33%. This will cause adverse visual impacts and relies heavily on a mature landscape (which will not eventuate for 15 years) to mitigate the impact to adjoining residential areas.
The twin junctions of Mowbray Road West and Mowbray Road, and Mowbray Road West are used by residents from the LCNE Village by foot, bicycle, motorbike, car and parents with prams as the main access to the LCNE Village. It also used by residents who have children that attend the childcare centre which adjoins the development site. In addition to this, Mowbray Road West is utilised by pedestrians from the LCNE Village to access the bus stops on either side of Mowbray Road, with one bus stop located directly opposite the development site. There is also a pedestrian link on the eastern end of 706 Mowbray Road that links to the bus stop on Epping Road to the city.
Mowbray Road is currently filled with street trees on both sides providing an aesthetically pleasing streetscape along the street frontages. The removal of all but two (2) mature trees to the street Mowbray Road frontages is alarming. The loss of vegetative screening will expose the built form, especially an over-development as proposed. The Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment at Appendix 8, under Section 7 of the report acknowledges ‘that there will be noticeable impact to the existing site character along Mowbray Road, with a magnitude of change of moderate to high impacts’.
This same report also analysed 15 viewpoints named from A through to O, in and around the development site. The relevant viewpoints for the residents of the LCNE Village are viewpoints F (Mowbray Road West), Viewpoint G (Mowbray Road) and O (Mowbray Road – near bus stop) and Viewpoints N (4 Taylors Drive, Lane Cove North). Although Viewpoints N is said to have a negligible impact, the other viewpoints are still considered as important due to the reasons mentioned above which include current site access, bus stops and recreational activities utilised by the residents of the LCNE Village. These uses are supported by the Traffic and Parking Impact Assessment at Appendix 11 which states in section 1.2.1 that Mowbray Road has various public and active transport links.
For Viewpoints F, G and O it details that the current view will have a high magnitude of change and will be fundamentally altered by the proposed development. The report concluded that overall road users, pedestrians and cyclists will be impacted at a low level (including the assessment of other roads). The LCNE Village disagrees and consider these to be a high magnitude of change moderate to high impact.
It is worth noting that the Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment did not take viewpoints from Taylors Drive which is the primary entry/exit point from the LCNE Village.
5. Landscape
The Arborist Report - Appendix 12 - details that 65 trees will be removed across the development site, representing @60% of the mature trees. It is noted that the overall development will only be providing 17.46% of landscaped area which is below the minimum 20% requirement as described within the Development Control Plan (DCP) Compliance table under section E.9 Landscaping at Appendix 1.
Of key importance is the screening of the proposed Data Centre – eastern elevation. The proposal does not allow for any landscape screening to the eastern boundary and combined with substantial tree removal leaves the building façade highly exposed. An objective of Section E.9 of the Lane Cove DCP 2009 is for the ‘screening unsightly land uses and providing a buffer between industrial development and other land uses’. This has not been achieved and we request that a landscape buffer be included and/or a high level of architectural articulation be required of the proponent.
We assert that the proponent has failed to adequately address the zone objective as the basis of the Clause 4.6 Variation Request. The proposal diminishes the visual amenity; the landscape is critical to mitigating the bulk and scale of the architecture with the end result not delivering an exemplar outcome that enhances the local amenity, but rather detracts from the existing amenity.

6. The Traffic and Transport Assessment Report
The Traffic and Transport Assessment Report has carefully avoided identifying the major parking impacts, both permanent and during construction.
• It avoids mentioning the parking studies which it has undertaken.
• In its list of agency responses (Section 1.3) it fails to identify that Lane Cove Council stated:
“It is recommended that a Traffic and Parking assessment be submitted as part of the proposed development documentation.”
Given that street parking is already a critical issue in the vicinity of 706 Mowbray Road, as illustrated in Appendix A, we assert that the proponent intends to use the visitors parking of the LCNE Village for overflow parking during construction and on a permanent basis.
This may explain why the proponent has omitted its assessment of parking adjacent to 706 Mowbray Road from its Assessment Report.
We assert that The Traffic and Transport Assessment Report is fundamentally flawed and cannot be allowed to stand.

7. Construction Parking
.... due to limited character number in this comments box, please refer to the completed submission in the attached documents