Kilmeaden data centre development refused permission over utility and traffic pressures
Saturday 17 October 2026
A proposed technology park in Kilmeaden has been refused planning permission due to projected traffic congestion and strain on local water and electricity supplies.
Planning permission has been refused for a major technology park and data centre campus in Kilmeaden, County Waterford, over infrastructure and utility concerns.
The refusal was issued following assessments showing a predicted influx in local traffic alongside increased pressure on regional water and electricity networks. The planning application drew more than 500 objections from local residents and environmental campaigners.
Proposed by Irish firm Echelon, the project was planned to cover more than one square kilometre approximately 12 kilometres outside Waterford city. In addition to data infrastructure, the development scheme incorporated a two-storey childcare facility with an outdoor play area and a village centre containing office units, a gym, a pharmacy, a café, and a shop.
Environmental groups raised concerns during the process regarding the facility's potential emissions profile and its alignment with national climate targets. Following the planning decision, Green Party TD Roderic O’Gorman called for the introduction of a moratorium on data centres that do not operate entirely on renewable energy sources.