Leading Edge Data Centres has been given Development Consent by Bathurst Regional Council to construct a data centre in the city to provide greater incentive for businesses to take advantage of a growing digital economy.

The centre, to be constructed at 366 Panorama Avenue, will be produced by Leading Edge Data Centres as part of an initiative to strengthen digital connectivity, improve internet speeds and expand online business incentives.

Leading Edge Data Centres Chief Executive Officer and Founder Chris Thorpe said the centre is one of 14 hubs set to be constructed across regional NSW.

“The data centre will expand connectivity options in the Bathurst region, which will empower everything from the consumer to local businesses,” Mr Thorpe said.

“It’s a platform for new and existing business to drive growth for the region, while also taking the reliance off the need to live in Sydney to access vital IT infrastructure.”

Mr Thorpe said Bathurst is an ideal location for a data centre on the back of its abundance in government organizations, educational centres and the recent launch of a cyber security centre situated nearby.

“Bathurst is a growing region, and this infrastructure will open up direct access to major IT cloud environments in metropolitan areas, enabling faster processing speeds and greater functionality for digital applications,” he said.

“We envision around 20 per cent of data centre tenants will be local while 60 to 80 per cent will consist of national and global enterprises looking to grow a presence in a regional area.”

With significant power costs required to service the data centre, Mr Thorpe said the data centre is specifically designed to champion renewable sources.

“The data centre will include a solar shield over the top of the facility, which will provide pure green energy to our data racks,” he said.

“We anticipate the data centre will initially be powered by 50 per cent renewable sources, with the objective to reach 100 per cent in the coming years.”

The company has commenced construction on data centres in Newcastle and Tamworth, with both expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Bathurst mayor Bobby Bourke said the data centre has the potential to deepen the region’s technological blueprint and enhance the council’s Smart Community Strategy.

“The data centre will be built on council-owned land, and we feel this infrastructure will grow Bathurst’s reputation as a ‘smart city,'” Cr Bourke said.

“We’re supportive of any technological venture with the potential to bring more business and people to the Bathurst region.”