A formal objection lodged with Cape Town city planners is calling for the decision on a proposed Equinix data centre development to be delayed until detailed environmental and resource-use information is provided. The objection, seen by Reuters, was submitted by the Housing Assembly (HA) - a movement representing more than 20 communities across the Western Cape - together with UK non-profit Foxglove.
The HA and Foxglove contend that the planning application lacks the necessary detail for officials to make an informed assessment of the project. Among the gaps the groups highlight are explicit figures and analysis for water consumption, electricity demand, emissions, diesel backup generation, air pollution and noise, as well as basic design details about the buildings.
"There is simply not enough information for a decision on a project of this scale, with no substantive detail on water use, emissions, electricity demand, diesel generators, air pollution, noise or even the buildings themselves," said Rosa Curling, co-executive director at Foxglove.
The development proposal covers two large-scale data centres in Cape Town with a combined projected power draw of up to 160 megawatts, according to the objection document. The filing notes that questions remain about the form and capacity of any back-up generation planned for the site.
Water demand is singled out as a particular concern in the objection, given Cape Town's history of severe drought. The city experienced a notable water crisis in 2017-2018, commonly referred to as the 'Day Zero' period, during which many household taps were shut off as reservoirs dropped to critically low levels. "The water demands of the site are also particularly important given Cape Town's historic problems with water scarcity," Curling said in the objection.
"There seems to be this rush to develop data centres without people properly thinking through what the impact will be," added Saadiyah Kwada, an attorney at the Legal Resources Centre in Cape Town.
Equinix, which already operates a site in Johannesburg that its website says has 100% renewable energy coverage, declined to comment on the objection lodged by the HA and Foxglove.
The land where the facilities are proposed to be built is owned by King David Golf Club and is being developed under the name King Air Industrial. Both the landowner and Equinix have 30 days to respond to the objection; after any response the City of Cape Town has 180 days to reach a decision on the application, according to the notice cited in the objection.
The filing record also notes that "KAI declined to comment." The City of Cape Town did not provide a response to requests for comment on the objection.
Separately, the South African national government announced a pledge to stimulate investment in digital infrastructure. That pledge, referenced in the objection document, includes measures such as tax incentives and policy reforms intended to support data centre development and to reduce regulatory barriers to expanding connectivity.
Context and implications
As technology companies expand computing capacity globally, new data centre projects are drawing scrutiny from local communities and advocacy groups concerned about how such developments may affect utility costs, resource availability and local environmental conditions. The objection lodged in Cape Town reflects these broader tensions, with community representatives and legal advocates seeking fuller disclosure before planning approval is granted.