Judicial Review of Art Data Centres Ennis campus is Dismissed

The request for a judicial review of Art Data Centres' campus in County Clare, Ireland, has been dismissed. The Ennis data center project was given planning permission in 2022, and approved by An Bord Pleanala in April 2024, but opponents to the project including the Clare Green Party called for a judicial review to try and block the development.

The judicial review, applied for by Colin Doyle, Friends of the Irish Environment CLG, Futureproof Clare, Martin Knox, and Christine Sharpe, was made on grounds including the presence of a Leisler's Bat species in the area, that An Bord Pleanala "failed to apply and/or consider its mandatory obligation under section 15 of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015," that the data center decision did not take into account sufficient sustainable and renewable power, and did not meet GHG emission mitigation requirements.

Part of the project is an "Energy Centre" that will be developed by Art Data Centres, but may be built and operated by a specialist in the sector. The Energy Centre will be powered by gas engines, but will eventually transition to biogas and hydrogen. This is necessary as a condition of getting a grid connection from EirGrid and will be required to despatch power back to the grid on demand in the event of energy supply issues.