Plans for a large-scale data centre at Swanbank are moving through the Ipswich planning process, with a proposed 10-storey facility planned for an eight-hectare site close to major electricity infrastructure.
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The proposal concerns Lot 5 Six Leaf Street, formerly known as Patrick Street. The vacant site is near Powerlink Queensland’s Blackstone Substation and a planned 200MW battery energy storage system, while the Swanbank Energy Precinct is also nearby. The precinct includes the operational E-Power Station, a gas-fired power station, and battery energy storage infrastructure.
The development application, recorded as 12285/2026/MCU, seeks approval for a data centre across the western portion of the site. The planning documents also propose a Reconfiguring a Lot application to establish two standard-format lots.
The proposed development would include the data centre buildings, an internal access road, car parking, ancillary infrastructure, landscaping and a buffer area in the north-western corner of the site.
Two stages proposed
The scale of the development is considerable. Stage 1 would have a gross floor area of 103,955 square metres, including 80,485 square metres of data hall space. Stage 2 would add a further 77,040 square metres of gross floor area, with 56,130 square metres designated as data hall space.
The planning documents also note that the site could potentially be expanded in the future, although any expansion would require a separate development application.
The proposal follows an earlier approval obtained for reconfiguring a lot through subdivision by lease for 10 years or more, as well as a material change of use for a major utility involving a battery energy storage system in the centre of the site. The proposed data centre would occupy the western portion of the property.
What the facility would provide
According to the planning material, the proposed facility would provide physical infrastructure for storing critical data using computing machines and associated hardware.
The planning documents also state that the development could contribute to Ipswich’s local economy through employment opportunities and support objectives identified in the South East Queensland Regional Plan.
The location places the proposal within an area already associated with energy and industrial infrastructure. The site is close to the Blackstone Substation, the planned 200MW battery system and facilities within the Swanbank Energy Precinct.
Planning process continues
The development application is currently listed as in progress on Ipswich’s planning register. It is identified as a code-assessable Material Change of Use application for a warehouse, specifically a data centre. The register shows an information request is in progress, while the decision notice stage has not yet started. Public notification is listed as not required.
That means the proposal has not received a final development approval at this stage. The proposal would represent a substantial addition to an area already shaped by energy and industrial uses. If it proceeds, the development would bring extensive data hall space together with roads, parking, landscaping and supporting infrastructure.
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For residents in Swanbank, Springfield Lakes and surrounding suburbs, the application will be one to watch as the assessment progresses and further decisions are made.
Published 24-August-2026
