Kildare County Council has blocked a proposal to reverse land zoning for a planned data centre at Jigginstown, near Naas.
The motion was put forward after a public meeting where roughly 300 local residents voiced opposition to the development.
Objectors warned that the facility’s heavy resource demands could trigger local power and water shortages, while also raising concerns over potential noise pollution from the site.
Situated near the Primrose Garden estate, the site was the focus of a meeting hosted by the newly formed Kildare Data Centre Awareness Campaign.
According to KildareNow, around sixty people gathered for a peaceful vocal demonstration outside Aras Chill Dara as the Kildare County Council meeting was underway.
Independent Ireland councillor Bill Clear called on Kildare County Council to initiate the formal process for updating the Naas Local Area Plan to review the site's current zoning.
His motion was defeated as more than half of the councillors voted against. According to the newsoutlet, 11 councillors backed the motion and seven abstained from the vote.
Sinn Féin’s Noel Connolly also brought a similar motion, the news outlet confirmed. He said at the meeting that he did not want the centre banned but the KDCAS has provided enough evidence that the demand for energy has intensified.
“I’m disappointed with councillors who did not engage (with the KDCAS) and effectively ignored hundreds of emails. Please listen to the public outcry," Cllr Connolly added.
A joint statement from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael following the vote emphasized that land zoning is merely an indicative blueprint showing where certain developments might be appropriate.
They noted that key public bodies, including Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) and the energy regulator, raised no objections during the zoning process.
The statement, as quoted from KildareNow, stressed that zoning identifies potential land uses on a map rather than granting planning approval.
Any proposed development must still undergo a rigorous, transparent planning process involving public consultations, formal submissions, and potential appeals.
