Amazon gets go-ahead for fifth data centre in Tallaght
By Aideen O'Flaherty
AMAZON’S activity in Tallaght is set to increase after securing planning permission for the construction of their fifth data centre in the area, which is to be located at the former Jacob’s Biscuits Factory site on the Belgard Road.
A data centre is already located on part of the Jacob’s Biscuits Factory site, while three other Amazon data centres are located nearby, which have been developed since Amazon first came to Tallaght in 2011.
An artist impression of the Amazon data centre at the former Jacob's site
Amazon purchased the site of Tesco’s vacated distribution warehouse off the Greenhills Road in 2011, while in 2014 the online giant snapped up the Shinko Microelectronics site, and last year they purchased the former Barretts warehouse site, all of which now house data centres.
An application for the second Belgard Road-based data centre development was lodged with South Dublin County Council last June, outlining plans for the construction of a two-storey data centre.
Provision for 27 car-parking spaces, and a mechanical plant at roof level which will be screened from view on all sides by permanent screens, were included in the application.
The council granted permission for the development this month, with a number of conditions.
These conditions include the development of a public lighting scheme “designed to provide for high quality public lighting throughout the public realm of the site”, and provision for ten per cent of ancillary car-parking spaces to provide charging facilities for electric cars.
This follows on from Amazon outlining their desire to be “better neighbours” as their foothold in Tallaght continues to increase, and their presence in the area continues to grow through their support of events like Tallafest.
Speaking to The Echo last month, Mike Beary, the county manager for Amazon Web Services in Ireland, said: “We have been a bit under the radar in Ireland, but now that we have established a footprint we want to be better neighbours.”
Amazon started investing in South Dublin County in 2007, and the cumulative impact of their economic activity in the region on the Irish economy is in excess of €1.25 billion.
TAGS Tallaght
