Amazon to build fifth data centre in Tallaght
By Aideen O'Flaherty
AMAZON are planning to add to their already significant tally of data centres in the Tallaght area, after lodging an application with South Dublin County Council seeking permission for the development of a new two-storey data centre at the former Jacob’s Biscuits factory site.
The online giant purchased the Belgard Road site of the former factory in 2014, which also housed the well-known Jacob’s Irish Biscuits Social Club, which was set up in 1980 for factory workers and their families.
The proposed development from Airton Road at the Jacob's Social Club side
Last August, the club members, of which there were over 1,000, handed over their building to Amazon after negotiating a €400,000 sum, which was then donated to two charities that were selected by the club members.
The former Jacob’s Biscuits factory site, which already contains a data centre, is one of four sites in Tallaght that have been acquired by Amazon, with plans for each of them to house data centres.
The first site for one of their data centres in the area, which is located at the site of Tesco’s vacated distribution warehouse off the Greenhills Road, was purchased by them back in 2011.
Following this, Amazon then snapped up the Shinko Microelectronics site in 2014, and last year they purchased the former Barretts warehouse site.
If Amazon’s application for planning permission is successful, then this new data centre will mean there will be a total of five Amazon data centres in Tallaght.
The current application was lodged by ADSIL (Amazon Data Services Ireland Limited) this week, seeking permission for the demolition of a single-storey building and the construction of a two-storey data centre at the Belgard Road site, with the proposed development of the new data centre expanding Amazon’s activities at that site.
There are provisions for 27 car-parking spaces, and a mechanical plant at roof level which will be screened from view on all sides by permanent screens.
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.
