Melton City Council calls for data centre moratorium

Published on 26 August 2026

Melton City Council is calling for a moratorium on data centres until the Victorian Government develops a coordinated framework to guide future data centre developments across Victoria.

At its August Council meeting, Council resolved to write to the Minister for Planning, the Minister for Water and the Minister for Energy and Resources seeking urgent development of a framework in collaboration with all levels of government.

Council is seeking the moratorium on new data centres in the City of Melton until the framework is in place, to ensure future proposals are assessed through a clear and consistent process.

Victoria is experiencing a rapid increase in proposals for large-scale data centres, which can require significant electricity, water and supporting infrastructure while creating relatively few ongoing local jobs once operational.

While data centres support the broader digital economy, developments of this scale also raise important planning and environmental concerns and considerations that need to be carefully assessed. There are concerns that some proposals are being considered through State planning pathways that reduce the role of local councils and communities in decision-making.

Council wants decisions on data centres to be informed by sound evidence, planning legislation, robust guidelines on location, local impacts and community input.

Council is also writing to the National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA) seeking a coordinated advocacy position on planning, environmental and infrastructure standards for data centres, and has submitted a motion on data centres to be considered at the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) State Council Meeting in October 2026.

Quotes attributable to City of Melton Mayor, Cr Lara Carli

“We hear our community loud and clear on their concerns about data centres in the City of Melton.

“Our community deserves to have a voice and to have confidence that any proposals are assessed through a clear, evidence-based process that considers infrastructure, environmental impacts and local neighbourhoods.

“This is why our Council is calling for a moratorium on new data centres in the City of Melton until a coordinated framework is in place.”